Amaterasu The Fire Chronicles
by Muk
Summary: AU. After Sasuke and Itachi faced off their destined battle something changed. Naruto hasn't been the same since and the world around him is crumbling. War is starting Akatsuki are finally completing their plans of world domination.
1. Chapter 1 A Shadow looms

**Amaterasu – The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Naruto & all the characters in it © Kishimoto  
Also, this is all spoilers if anyone has not read up to chapter 352 of the Naruto manga.  
WARNING!!! I tend to kill of characters easily so be warned that some of your favorite characters will die rather quickly. Sorry, but I just love writing/reading dark stories.  
Also I feel like I am not doing justice to the battle scenes so if someone has any suggestions please do.  
** Major Revision: **03.03.2008  
Many thanks to betareader: homesweethomicide13 this fanfiction is now being rewritten, polished and restructured.  
P.S. homesweethomicide13 I can't change the title though XD

**Chapter 1: A Shadow Looms**

Early Sunday morning, there were three knocks on Naruto's wooden door.

"Who's there?" Naruto asks.

"Open up Naruto, it's me," Sakura answers.

Upon opening the door Sakura finds Naruto fully dressed, cleaned up and in his usual ANBU clothing; white shoulder-plating with orange Uzumaki swirls and the typical black clothing.

"One second, let me get my cloak and mask," Naruto answers as he fetches his brown and orange cloak.

As he returns, his view wanders from Sakura's smiling face to her right arm. Though it is well hidden underneath her cloth, the scar that connects her artificial right arm to her shoulder is still there, and Naruto knows that. Immediately at the thought of the artificial arm his smiling face turns sad and sorrowful. Sakura sees this sudden change in expression and encourages him with a smile.

"Naruto, I am fine, it doesn't hurt at all." She nudges him with her right arm as though punching him.

"But …" Naruto starts to respond, but Sakura holds her finger in front of his lips to stop him from completing his sentence.

"I already forgave you on that day, Naruto. You shouldn't linger on such a sad past. Besides Tsunade-shishou has a new mission for you. So cheer up Naruto. Where did that old Naruto go, the one I first met? That energetic, loudmouth and ever so brave one who would always smile and never give up? You've been keeping this sad expression ever since, Naruto. Can't you let go and move on?"

"Yeah … move on … from that day …" looking down at the road Naruto escorts Sakura - though it was more like Sakura was escorting him - to the Hokage office while reflecting on that dreadful day three months ago.

Since that day, Naruto wasn't the same anymore, and noticing the change, Tsunade put him under her direct supervision; hoping to change him with time. But even time didn't heal the wound. Naruto, not knowing how to deal with his wound, clung to the shinobi saying;

"A shinobi must be emotionless at all times; he must put his mission as his highest priority."

In ANBU Sai and Yamato were his team-mates and from time to time even Kakashi, but his contact with Sakura was minimized to when he was resting up for his next mission. Every time Naruto put that mask over his face he became exactly as it said in the book, an emotionless tool called "Shinobi".

"Naruto … Naruto … Oi snap out of it! You're pondering on the past again, aren't you?" Sakura's voice snaps Naruto out of his thoughts.

"Look! It's Konohamaru and his team. Seems like they are on their way to another mission. Let's cheer them on, shall we?"

"Oh yeah …" Naruto answers with the least amount of enthusiasm possible to anyone known.

"Hey! Naruto-niichan, you look really sharp in that outfit. Are you going on a date with Sakura-neechan?" Konohamaru shouts.

"Konohamaru you shouldn't spread this kind of gossip around," Naruto says, still without any enthusiasm and in a monotonic voice. Konohamaru stares at Naruto shocked, as does Sakura.

"Sakura-Chan lets go, Tsunade-baachan is going to yell at us if we're late." Naruto walks ahead and his thoughts wander again to the past.

On that day, Itachi and Kisame had their destined battle against team Hebi, which was led by Sasuke and his followers Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo. Itachi and Kisame were travelling through a tight mountain path as boulders of stone rolled down towards them. Tumbling to safety the two ninja were separated by the rubble only to find Team Hebi ready for ambush. Kisame found himself quickly surrounded by three members; Suigetsu leading the attack, Karin behind him with support and Juugo at his back cornering him in melee. Kisame had no time to find out how Itachi was doing, but he could guess;

Sasuke wanted his one on one duel with his brother.

Sasuke came by air; with his wings spread; he used his Chidori blade to impale Itachi. Itachi looked surprised at the speed and flying feat Sasuke was showing, but after Sasuke skewered him good, Itachi turned himself into a flock of crows.

Seeing the crows fly Kisame said, "Ah, so it comes to this? A pity! Know this you little ones! This is why Itachi-san was an ANBU-captain at the age of 13! It takes teamwork and coordination to lead an ANBU-mission to success!"

Out of Kisame's shadow rose Itachi. He rolled over Kisame's back, shooting a volley of Kunai at Suigetsu, shattering his arms and legs in the process and giving Kisame the opportunity to strike Suigetsu down with his Samehada, which immediately began devouring his chakra. Karin tried to aid, but immediately found herself face-to-face with Itachi-san, and his Sharingan. Now Karin was paralyzed within Itachi's Genjutsu. Juugo, crazed with killing intent, swung down his powerful arm-axe. As he finished his full swinging motion he found that he was not cutting anything. He only realized then that Itachi-san was holding a blood drenched kunai. Looking for his right arm, Juugo found it lying on the ground next to him and as he turned his head back to Itachi, he felt like his body had been stabbed all over. Only then did he realize that a multiple volley of kunai had pierced him through his heart and just about everywhere else on his body. Having completely devoured Suigetsu, Kisame swungs his mighty blade, cleaving Juugo's head off cleanly and only stopping his swinging motion right before Itachi. Kisame then proceeded to lop off Karin's limbs - first her legs, and then her arms. Karin woke up from her Genjutsu and screamed in pain.

Sasuke, who was still looking at the pretty feathers that Itachi's Kagebunshin had left, only now noticed his team defeated and slain. Sasuke could not believe his eyes. What had he been thinking challenging Itachi? Did he not just slay him? How could there still be such a huge gap between them? Itachi showed no mercy this time around - too long had he given his little brother time again and again to prove to him that he was worthy of the Mangekyou Sharingan, which Sasuke still had not attained.

Morally shaken, Sasuke soon found himself bleeding heavily from several deep wounds all over his body. Then his arms and legs were lopped off, with just his head and torso lying on the ground at the mercy of his elder brother and Kisame.

At that time some approaching shinobi arrived. They revealed themselves to be team Kakashi with Naruto, Sai, Sakura and Kakashi and team Kurenai with Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba and Shino. Seeing this force, and never underestimating his enemy, Itachi needed a quick retreating plan. Naruto saw Sasuke on the verge of death, and shouted his battle cry and began to charge in.

Realizing that Naruto was emotional and unstable, Itachi pushed him further by casting Amaterasu upon Sasuke, engulfing him in black flames.

Sasuke screamed in pain, his eyes meeting Naruto's as he cast a Genjutsu with his Sharingan. Sasuke's last words were "Become the perfect Shinobi I could not become, avenge my death. Slay Itachi!"

Whatever was left of Sasuke's ego went aflame in that black inferno of death. Completely snapping, Naruto didn't remember anything that happened afterwards.

Naruto suddenly felt soft lips kissing his tear-filled cheek. He comes back out of his thoughts from the past.

Sakura is looking at him, smiling. "Naruto, get ahold of your emotions. How did you ever get into ANBU?" They arrive at the Hokage's office. Knocking on the door they hear "ENTER!" and they open the door.

"Ah, Sakura and Naruto, perfect timing. Sai and Yamato just arrived, too," Tsunade says and gets out of her Hokage Chair. "Alright, I will now explain the new mission to you. As you know, with Orochimaru's death, a surplus of blood thirsty shinobi appeared in this world.

"Akatsuki used this unbalance to their favor. They ignited skirmishes and escalated them to full out battles. Furthermore, they even set up skirmishes with their captured bijuu, igniting large scale battles, drawing even the great five shinobi nations into the conflict. Now there is a critical bridge that Akatsuki are trying to occupy at any cost. It is the "Great Naruto Bridge" in the Wave Country.

"I have selected Team Kakashi, since they were part of the mission that protected the bridge and I am selecting Team Asuma because of their strategic strength. Be careful, there is a very high probability that the original Akatsuki members will be leading this invasion and occupation. That's all!"

"Yes, ma'am!" both teams answer.

"And Naruto, don't let your emotions get the better of you!" Tsunade warns him.

"Emotions …" Naruto's thoughts immediately wander back to that day.

On the day Sasuke died, a part of Naruto died with him.

Empty and having his emotions in havoc the Kyuubi used that moment of opportunity to fully engulf Naruto in his malice and evil, quickly turning himself into a six tailed demon fox.

The rampaging demon fox, that was no longer Naruto, turned against his team-mates, immediately attacking and severely hurting them. As the teams quickly dispersed, Itachi and Kisame took their opportunity to flee the battle, but Itachi left a Kagebunshin hiding, to gather as much info on the up coming battle as he could.

Kiba and Shino quickly formed the frontline battle, with Kiba and Akamaru turning themselves into their two headed wolf beast, while Shino shielded them from the most devastating attacks that the Kyuubi had to offer. Hinata tried to aid with her Juuken, but Kyuubi's chakra was too overwhelming even against the Juuken. Any Genjutsu Kurenai-sensei tried was shielded through the chakra shroud. Sai's painting took the death blows that Shino couldn't shield the team from. It took an enormous amount of teamwork to get an opening, where Sakura finally landed a knockout punch sending the Kyuubi headfirst towards Kakashi, who immediately placed the special chakra release seal on Naruto. The chakra steamed away, taking Sakura's right arm with it as it was stuck in the chakra shroud. Like acid it burned itself almost to her shoulder. Screaming in pain, Sakura and the rest witnessed Naruto re-emerging out of the demon.

With her Byakugan, Hinata saw that Naruto's chakra was in a Genjutsu turmoil. Using what chakra she had left Sakura tried releasing Naruto from the Genjutsu, only to find herself entering his ,mind. There she found Naruto cowered in a corner and the colossal gate that kept the Kyuubi inside.

"Naruto! Naruto! Come one let's go." Sakura shouted at him.

"Sakura-Chan? What are you dong here? What happened to your right arm?" Naruto stared at her, astonished.

"Oh that, I lost it against Itachi and Kisame…"

"She's lying you know, Naruto." the malicious voice that belonged to Kyuubi interrupted Sakura before she could finish.

"Ha-ha-ha, Naruto did you forget? You wanted to kill and just as you commanded I did." the Kyuubi continued, laughing with such evil that it sent chills down Sakura's spine.

"You … did that to Sakura-Chan? You took her right arm?" Naruto was shocked.

"Ha-ha… She deserved it. She was trying to kill you, ha-ha. That cursed chakra release Jutsu took her arm with it, sort of like a punishment." the Kyuubi grinned.

"You! I swear on my life, you shall never take control ever again, I will protect all my friends from this demon that you are!" Naruto swore before he ripped the Kyuubi ego that manifested itself in front of him to shreds with his Wind chakra.

He soon returned to consciousness, but always regretted that day, as he was always wondering how he could use his power to protect those he loved and fulfil Sasuke's last plea. He came to realize that the power he had could only destroy. He sought to restrain his destructive power with as much discipline as possible, and vowed to never unleash that uncontrollable power again, joining ANBU for their emotional training.

"I swore on that day, I would never let my emotions get the better of me ever again. So don't worry about it, Tsunade-baachan." Naruto answered after a long moment of silence.

This was his first non-ANBU mission since that mission three months ago, and it would take him back to the Wave Country.


	2. Chapter 2 A will of Fire

**Amaterasu – The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Right legal stuff: Characters Naruto & co are © to Kishimoto  
I rated this fan-fiction at Teen so … the juicy stuff will be left out  
Use your imagination when it comes to those parts  
and I still am a horrible writer so any reviews are appreciated, cause only with feedback will I get better  
**Major Revision:** 03.03.2008  
Thanks to betareader: homesweethomicide13

**Chapter 2: A Will Of Fire**

At the great Konoha East gate, eight shinobi assembled. Team 10, led by Kakashi, Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino meet up. Team 7 were Naruto, Sai and Sakura and led by Yamato.

It has been too long since Sakura saw Naruto in his orange jump suit and it takes her by surprise a little. It seems Naruto hasn't lost his horrible taste for fashion; as he put his ANBU cloak over his jump suit. The combination was just horrible; the camouflaging orange and black tiger stripped ANBU cloak covering the plain orange and black jump suit just didn't fit. But that was Naruto for you.

Chouji was in his Clan out fit and Ino was wearing her purple kunoichi outfit, while Kakashi, Yamato and Shikamaru were in Konoha's standard uniform. Sai of course was wearing his usual attire that made him look like a girl.

"Alright, listen up! It'll take a day worth of travelling to reach the Wave Country, and since it might be a war zone we will need to be fit accordingly," Kakashi says.

"Then let's hurry up!" Naruto shouts. The teams move out and Naruto travels at the front while Kakashi walks with Sakura.

"It seems like he's back to his usual self," Kakashi says.

"I don't know Kakashi-sensei. Earlier he was really down. It seems missions get his thoughts away from the past," Sakura replies.

"Don't worry too much," Kakashi smiles. Their travel to the Wave Country is uneventful and they reach it safely with the bridge still standing. Reaching the other side of the bridge they are greeted by Inari and his mother.

"Oh, Naruto-niichan, how are you?" Inari greets.

"Wow! You've grown quite tall, haven't you, Inari?" Naruto replies.

Inari had grown in the last three years and was nearly as tall as Naruto now. Still wearing that stripped hat of his, he now wore the working clothes of his village.

"Where is your grandpa?" Sakura asks.

"He's finishing preparation for the evacuation," replies his mother.

"These are our fellow shinobi and team-mates," Kakashi introduces them.

"Nice meeting you, Yamato's the name," Yamato greets.

"Ah, how troublesome" Shikamaru says.

"Shikamaru! I apologise, I am Ino, this is Chouji and that is Shikamaru," Ino bows.

"Oh?! Naruto's friend; I wonder if your penis is larger then his…" Sai begins, but a punch flies his way.

"You don't say those kinds of thing in front of other people. Haven't you been reading books on manners yet?" Sakura yells at him.

"Where's Sasuke-niichan?" Inari looks around them. "Wasn't he with you guys last time around?" A dreadful silence surrounds Naruto and Sakura.

"Now, now, there is time to catch up later on. We need to make preparations for the oncoming assault," Kakashi tries changing the subject, but Inari catches a glimpse of Naruto's facial expression. It looks dreadful, afraid and uncertain.

They move along and Kakashi and Shikamaru plan their defences, while Ino uses her Jutsu on a hawk to scout the sky and forest for the enemies. Chouji keeps watch over her body.

"Alright, if we place Naruto on the bridge, we can divert all other forces to protecting the sea border. That should give us a good chance in defending this place," Shikamaru concludes while Kakashi nods in agreement.

"Shikamaru!" Shikamaru recognizes Chouji's voice. "Ino's back from her patrol."

"How was it?" Shikamaru asks.

"I found them, but they won't be here for another week or two. They have many shinobi with them, but there are also two of them flying, so they might do a pre-emptive strike with them. Also the two flying were wearing the black cloak with red clouds while the others were just wearing some ragtag cloth on. I think they are leading the attack, the Akatsuki that is." Ino says, reporting her finding.

"Do you think they noticed you?" Shikamaru asks her.

"I don't think so, they were pretty busy talking to themselves, but due to the wind and all I couldn't make out what they were saying," Ino replies. "Oh they were flying on two birds, must be some kind of Jutsu."

"Birds you say? Could it be Deidara? But I am sure he self-detonated himself when he faced us during the Gaara rescue," Kakashi said.

"Maybe he used some kind of Bunshin?" Shikamaru said. "Anyways Kakashi, you've faced him before, let's hear some details."

"He's a long range tactician that uses bombing type attacks as his primary form of attack. Of course he loves having his air supremacy to add to the difficulty. Last time we faced him he was mostly running away, and he has bags with him where he gets his clay out of. It seems he needs a steady supply to make his bombs," Kakashi says.

"He'll be very troublesome, what about the other one Ino how did he look like?" Shikamaru asks.

"He was wearing a swirling orange mask and had black hair. That is all I could make out. Oh, also, it seems he was being scolded down by this Deidara for something he did or at least that is how it looked like," Ino says.

"A goof ball.." Shikamaru ponders "…still he made it as far as being allowed to wear their Akatsuki cloak, so be careful."

Shikamaru's sentence is interrupted by a loud explosion that came from the direction of the bridge.

As team 10 arrives at the scene they see a large body of water protecting the bridge from aerial bombing, and one Akatsuki flying round and round trying to strike and weaken the protective Jutsu.

"Right! Yamato, Naruto and the rest of team 7 can handle Deidara. Now, where is the other member?" Shikamaru asks.

Not long after he asks, multiple fireballs are shot from the sea. They evade but the fireballs land in the city and set it aflame.

"Damn! Leave it, we've got to prevent further damage, we need to take him out as quickly as possible!" Shikamaru shouts.

They rush towards the shore and see Tobi skating on the water like it was ice, while again shooting a few fireballs into their direction.

This time Kakashi uses a water barrier Jutsu to block the incoming fireballs. Tobi continues to elude the team and not commence close combat battles. Instead he's trying to do as much damage to the surrounding area as he can.

"Damn! Chouji, Kakashi-sensei! Let's get down to it. Ino you know what to do," Shikamaru commands.

With that Chouji and Kakashi begin their chase after Tobi. Quick on his feet, Tobi eludes them. From atop it looks like a zig-zag chase all over the harbour with balls of fire shot from Tobi's front, with Kakashi and Chouji dodging them or Kakashi retaliating with water missiles. Shikamaru sends out occasional shadow tentacles out of the water when Tobi comes close to the shore.

"Chouji use your meat ball Jutsu, you are faster that way. Leave Kakashi to chase him!" Shikamaru commands through his microphone.

Turning himself into a floating and high speed rolling meatball, Chouji catches up to Tobi on a couple occasions, but still Tobi manages avoid him. The fireballs do little to hurt Chouji in his meatball form; especially with the halo of water surrounding him - he now has become something of a super fast water bullet.

After some more directions from Shikamaru, Chouji soon gets the hang of water balling around and now Tobi's mobility and agility advantage is lost. Blocking him precisely under Shikamaru's direction, Tobi is soon encircled by the combined work of Kakashi's water missiles and Chouji's meatball chase, and moves closer towards the beach where Shikamaru is waiting. Tobi tries a last effort in breaking through the beach, but Ino uses a fire sealing scroll to prevent any further damage.

Now within range, the tentacle trap springs entangling and skewering Tobi completely. Adding to the final blow, Chouji's meatball hits Tobi from behind while Kakashi's Raikiri pierces him from the front.

Afterwards, team 10 witness Tobi's body sinking to the bottom of the harbour.

Meanwhile, Deidara continues to bomb the water shield. Sai and Sakura rise to the air with Sai's bird drawing and try chasing down Deidara.

It quickly turns into an aerial dog fight with Deidara flying up and down, doing barrel rolls while always shooting some of his bird creations , which are mostly fended off by Sai's drawings or Sakura's shuriken skills.

As Deidara witnesses Tobi's defeat he thinks, "Tch! Getting done in so easily Tobi, you truly are pathetic. I guess you did your job though." his eyes wonder towards the burning village. "Time to retreat and occupy the bridge for good next time. That is, if it still standing after I make it a part of my art, un!"

In his hands, Deidara was holding clay shaped like a water drop with two wings like arms and a facial expression similar to an O. It was his C3 bomb.

"Jinchurikii Boy! It seems you have become better yet. No longer are you just a demon. No, you are a Ninja demon now! Un! With that enormous chakra and such control over it, you are now a perfect killing machine, worthy of the praise of an artist like myself. But you will never be able to surpass my artistic skill. True beauty lies within the single fleeting instance that is my art. Behold the honour I bestow upon you and your friends, along with this city, by destroying you with a masterpiece, behold my C3!"

Deidara cracks up laughing and tosses his huge sized creation down towards the bridge. It falls down past Sai and Sakura, and Naruto catches a glimpse of this enormous bomb. In fear and terror he realizes how much damage it could do - not only to the bridge but to all of the people around and especially to Sakura.

Quick in his decision, he tosses Yamato off the bridge and then uses another Fuuton Rasengan, encasing the bomb within the eye of his tornado. A super bright flash of light can be seen within the tornado and the sound of the explosion is deafening.

"Naruto!!!!" Sakura screams.

But her voice is silenced within the loud explosion. Still laughing, Deidara makes his way away from the battle scene back to his main force.

The tornado is still holding until all the force that the explosion has to offer dissipated either upwards or downwards. The water that was absorbing all the heat boiled and steamed underneath the bridge.

As the wind barrier finally died down there laid a black charred Naruto on the floor of his great bridge. The bridge itself was glowing red hot and with much effort Yamato managed to retrieve Naruto with his wood Jutsu.

Sakura was up all night tending to Naruto's burned body. For whatever reason, Naruto was still alive, but only just. With only her left arm to tend to his wounds, Sakura had a really difficult time keeping Naruto alive and it took the combined effort of Sakura and Ino to further stabilize him.

"How could anyone survive that kind of blast?" Chouji asked in the other room with the rest of the Konoha shinobi.

"It seems Naruto made a second Wind sphere shield around himself to protect him from the main blast, but the heat still went through that shield," Kakashi replies. He had returned to the bridge after they brought Naruto safely into a non- burning house.

Yamato and Kakashi were fighting the fire in the city with their combined Water Jutsu. They then analyzed the battle between Deidara and Naruto. There were two ring-like markings where Naruto had fallen; the big one that must have been his Fuuton Rasengan shielding the members from the deadly explosion, and the smaller one that had protected him from most of the blast's force.

"Also, to survive that much heat… it is only possible for Naruto, since he has the Kyuubi healing chakra. Anyone else would instantly have his proteins destroyed and die." Yamato continues Kakashi's train of thought.

"If this goes well we might still be able to hold off the main onslaught, especially now with one of their strongest members gone. Did you see anything with your Sharingan, Kakashi?" Shikamaru asks.

"Sorry, he was too high for anything specific," Kakashi replies.

"Alright! We have to prevent him from doing anything that is even on that scale, and should he have something even more devastating … I don't know … one thing for sure, we need him down on earth. And from how you encountered him before, Kakashi, the quickest way to stop him is to destroy his arms," Shikamaru concludes.

"Sakura, I am going to get some fresh towels," Ino says after they finished healing all the major burns.

"Alright. Ino, thanks for everything," Sakura replies as she keeps watch over Naruto.

She looks down at what remains of his face and spots that he is having some sort of internal struggle.

"What could you be possibly thinking now, Naruto? I beg you, please come back to us," Sakura whispers softly to him. "Please don't just burden yourself with all the responsibility; I am here for you, so please, don't leave me."

"Do you remember when we came here first, Naruto? One night Tazuna-grandpa was telling a story of this village's hero, remember? It seems so long in the past, yet I still remember it clearly. You said, 'I'm going to prove, in this world heroes do exist.' It was so corny back then, but still so brave. Why did you change Naruto? What happened on the day Sasuke died, that broke your unwavering and strong will?

"Are you still regretting that you could not bring him back? Is it because you gave me a promise of a lifetime that you cannot let go of your failure and move on. I already forgave you for that. I just … if you leave me now, too … I don't know what else to do … you are the only one now left … Naruto …"

"Sa …. Ku … Ra… Chan?" It is ever so quiet but Sakura witnesses Naruto's lips move and try to say those words. His eyes open slightly, before they close again.

In his darkness, Naruto hears Sasuke's painful scream, sees the cold and judging Sharingan eyes of Itachi and the malicious laughter of the Kyuubi.

Running aimlessly trying to search for Sasuke he meets memories of past. Memories he longed to become reality once more like the rivalry between him and Sasuke, both of them striving to be better then the other at tree climbing. Back then climbing a tree seemed so impossible, but now it is like common shinobi work.

Or when they were eating dinner together, puking at the same time after eating so much. Those were the time and bonds he tried to restore, yet failed to do.

'Or was it really your fault' he hears a deep voice echo through his dream.

Was it his fault? Could he have done anything better besides finding Sasuke quicker?

Who was to blame?

Then he hears cries. And a memory of past. Inari was a sissy back then, always crying.

A sissy … it feels like their roles are reversed.

What did I say to him back then, Naruto ponders … Strange, I cannot remember.

'Monster …' echoed through his dream…

'A true monster called shinobi…'

This darkness feels cold, freezing cold, with cold eyes watching him everywhere. Eyes judging him and eyes preying on him; he couldn't move. This chill was freezing him in place, making him feel helpless … there were no warmth anywhere around him. So cold.

Sakura could feel the chill and see the shivering that Naruto was experiencing; kissing him on his lips she slipped into the blanket with him hopping to warm him up.

It was weird in the darkness. His lips suddenly felt soft and warm again. He could hear a soft familiar voice calling him. Slowly his whole frozen body felt warm again and the darkness slowly disappeared.

As he opened his eyes he sees Sakura's face in front of him.

He is about to jerk away from the sudden closeness, but another hand stops him.

"Sheesh, don't move or your injuries will open again. Also, let Sakura stay with you a little longer," Ino's voice whispers into Naruto's ear. "She's been up for three days straight tending to your wounds."

Sakura speaks softly in her sleep, "Naruto … don't leave me …" Her left arm grabs hold of him and pulls him closer to her.

Naruto closes his eyes once more, thinking very hard.

As Sakura opens her eyes she is alone in bed. She still has her wrinkled Shinobi outfit on when she storms into the next room "Where's Naruto?"

"Oh you are finally awake," Kakashi replies "Naruto is by Haku's grave." Sakura heads out the door, while Kakashi shouts "Should you eat something first?" but is ignored. The night is clear except for some clouds and it is full moon.

As she reaches the grave she finds Naruto sitting there in front of the graves, with a scroll out. The huge blade that Zabuza wielded was back in its place as a gravestone marker. There was another sword beside Naruto. It had a white grip with a single blue stripe along its blade and sheath. It was Sasuke's Kusanagi. Naruto always had it with him during his ANBU mission. He was staring at it right now.

Sakura moved further into the clearing, and only as she cracked a twig did Naruto notice her, so deep was he in his thoughts.

"Oh Sakura-Chan…" he didn't know how to finish his sentence; torn between the blade and Sakura.

"Naruto …" Sakura couldn't put her feelings to words anymore either, instead she went in between Naruto and the blade and hugged him. But he didn't return the hug; his stare was still on Sasuke's blade.

"Why Naruto; why are you so distanced? It feels like you are some kind of actor in a drama on a stage I cannot reach …" Sakura cried on his shoulder.

"Ah, now I remember," Naruto said, "it was 'Little sissy, Crying like an actor in a tragedy.' That's what I said to Inari. Somehow it really feels strange, I feel pathetic and helpless. Like my role has been reversed."

"Naruto what's wrong with you? If something is on your mind why won't you share it with us? With me?" Sakura pleads him.

"Because it is impossible to solve this," Naruto answers.

"So are you just going to keep all to yourself like Sasuke and go down the same road as him? Leave your friends behind, destroy all the bonds, and isolate yourself? Why are men like that? Why can't they share their burden? You have friends you know, and you have me. Sasuke's death is not a responsibility that you carry on your own shoulder. It is part of everyone's responsibility. What happened that day? What did Sasuke tell you that you won't share with me?" Sakura still cries on.

"If you really want to know… 'Become the perfect Shinobi I could not become, avenge my death. Slay Itachi!' But I cannot … I mean, I am already a killing machine, a demon shinobi that killed many, yet the gap is still that huge between us. And then there is you, my friend and my love, Sakura. How can I choose without breaking the promise to Sasuke?" Naruto is in tears now.

Both cry on silently, neither speaking.

"Do you remember Grandpa Tazuna's story of the hero of this village? If I remember correctly he said 'If you are a man choose a life of no regrets. For something that is precious to you, no matter how tough, no matter how sad, you must try and try and even if you lose your life, protect it with these two arms. If you do that, even in death the proof of a man's life will remain … forever.'" Sakura says softly.

Naruto hearing those words thinks back to those memorial days and to one particular morning, "Did you know, Haku was a very kind hearted person. I met him the day before we battled in the forest."

"I didn't know, what happened that morning?" Sakura asked curiously.

"He woke me up as I was still sleeping, saying I would catch a cold sleeping on the ground. He asked so many questions that day like 'Why are you training?' and I said I wanted to become strong. 'But you already look pretty strong.' – 'No, I want to become even stronger' 'Why is that…' – 'So I can become the best ninja in my village. I am going to make everyone acknowledge my strength and right now I need to prove something to someone.' 'Is that for someone else? Or for yourself?' – '…. I had no answer to this question. 'Do you have someone who's important to you? When a person has something important to protect, that's when they can truly become strong' is what he said last."

"And do you have an answer, yet?" Sakura asked "I ask you now Naruto, are you doing all this for someone else or for yourself? Answer me now!" Sakura said in a demanding voice, while looking straight into his eyes, a stare of hope and love.

Naruto couldn't return her stare. He looked at the grave. A beam of white moonlight came through the thick trees and highlighted the grave in pure white light.

He remembered his vow on that day 'A shinobi isn't supposed to pursue his own goals. Becoming the countries' tool is the most important part of being a true shinobi. It's the same for the Leaf Village.'

"Is that what it means to be a true shinobi?" Naruto says out loud.

Standing up with his back towards Sakura, and the moonlight shining white on his back, he says with much more enthusiasm and will power;

"You know what! I don't like it, at all! OK, it's decided! I am going to be a Ninja in my own way!" He recites. "And to you Sasuke," he turns and faces the blade still lying on the ground "I will not follow your road. I will protect them all, your plea for revenge and Sakura and all my friends and precious ones to me. That's what I have decided from this day forth. You shall not be forgotten Sasuke, but I will not live a life of regrets. I will live a man's life, one who will protect the things precious to him with his own two arms, no matter how tough, no matter how sad they are and I will gladly sacrifice my life to protect them. I am not going any further down your path towards power and vengeance. Should I meet Itachi, he will face justice, but I am not going to devote my entire life, and all of my friends' lives, to just bring one man down."

He finishes his speech, exhausted, but his smile had returned.

"Now that's the Naruto I fell in love with," Sakura says and falls on top of Naruto, kissing him.

"Erm … are you sure about this Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asks, a little insecure and surprised. But he couldn't let his eyes wander off Sakura's beautiful moonlit face any longer.

"As sure as a woman can be," Sakura answers and proceeds to open Naruto's jacket. Usually his black shirt was underneath it, but tonight he was still wearing his ANBU clothes.

She continues stripping him down. "Naruto why don't you aid me a little?" She ask, and so he does.

He proceeds in opening her pink-red shirt and it reveals a red bra she's been wearing underneath. He then continues to glide the bra off both sides of her arm, but as his left hand follows along her right shoulder to her right arm a chilling cold pinches his left hand.

The wound from the past was still there and the cold, artificial right arm reminds him even now.

Noticing it, Sakura asks "Does the arm bother you? Shall I take it off?"

"No," Naruto answers softly. "No, leave it on; it's a reminder of my past mistakes. A mistake I shall carry ever so proudly." He kisses her softly on the lips, which she returns. Lying on top of each other, they continue their romantic night.

The moonlight shines a while longer through the clearing before it leaves them alone in the dark, and wanders towards the harbour.

As the sea catches the moon's reflection, the reflection's white color turns orange and is surrounded with black swirls. These swirls seems to continue to move along with the moon until it reaches the safety of the opposite shore. A black haired figure rises out of the water, and proceeds to head in the direction of the Akatsuki army.


	3. Chapter 3 In a fleeting Moment

**Amaterasu - The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal stuff: Naruto & co © Kishimoto

Right still rated teen

& Review always help with the progress of this fan fiction

**Revision: **04.03.2008 betaed by homesweethomicide13 (thank you)

**Chapter 3: In A Fleeting Moment**

As the red sun rises over the horizon, it casts a long shadow of a man, standing tall atop a winged beast with a long neck and an even longer tail. Underneath this man an army was sliding and jumping through the forest, rolling like an avalanche through the forest.

The first bird chiming and singing wakes up a couple sleeping naked in a small forest clearing, only covered by a tiger striped cloak. As they see themselves so naked and shivering in the morning cold, they long for their bodies to touch each other again, but they sense something or someone approaching and quickly get dressed.

"Naruto, Sakura …" Kakashi's familiar voice comes through the woods.

He spots them straightening each others clothes – which had clearly been thrown on in a hurry - but their wild hair - especially Sakura's - does little to hide their ecstatic night. Kakashi's face couldn't possibly be more astonished, even with his mask hiding most of it.

"Y… You guys … you couldn't have … I mean you are still …" Kakashi couldn't finish; the image of his precious students going at each other last night, especially how Naruto was behaving as of late, is too much of a perverted man's dream come true.

"Good morning Kakashi-sensei," They both greeted and had big grins on their faces. Then suddenly Kakashi's radio sounded and his demeanour changed to a serious one once more.

"Bad news. Akatsuki is only half an hour away. Let's get ready," Kakashi says in a serious voice.

Both pick up what they left on the clearing floor and Naruto puts Sasuke's blade on his back, and then the original team 7 heads down towards the bridge to meet up with team 10. Kakashi passed them some sandwiches for breakfast on their way down, but any hope of starting up a conversation about what happened last night with them felt out of place with the oncoming battle casting its glooming shadow over them.

The teams waited. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. They grow nervous as they could feel the ground trembling.

Then, rising out of the forest, a great white dragon roars. Standing atop the wild beast is Deidara, seemingly effortlessly taming it. With it's roar an uncountable number of shinobi emerge out of the forest, some standing ready for a charge, some kneeling looking intimidating, and some even arrogantly leaning against a tree, challenging if not provoking the completely outnumbered eight Leaf shinobi on the great Naruto bridge.

Without question this will be a very difficult battle, even with only one Akatsuki leading them, Shikamaru thought. But before he could even give any command; Naruto steps forward.

What is he thinking walking alone ahead? Sakura looked worried, scared and is about to go after him, but Kakashi-sensei stops her. Looking at Kakashi-sensei she only sees a smiling face and hears "Like father, like son."

Even nature seemed to understand what Naruto intends to do, and a wind picks up, blowing open Naruto's tiger stripped ANBU cloak. His ANBU white arm protectors shine orange-gold in the morning sunlight and with his hand at his hips and his elbow out, Naruto stood tall and ever so brave before this avalanche. His long shadow casts comforting warmth towards his team-mates, as if they could all fit in his protective shadow.

Inhaling deeply, Naruto points at the mass of shinobi and shouts in the bravest, brash and challenging voice:

"Oi, Oi, Oi, Behold! Leaf's Number one Loudmouth, Prankster and future Hokage, U-ZU-MA-KI Naruto stands before you! Challenge him and you shall fall before his manly charm, that no woman can resist, and his infinite Might!"

Sakura and even Ino blush lightly at the corny line Naruto just said, but all their worries are swept away in that instance, even his other team-mates find it amusing and encouraging.

The whole enemy squad falls into laughter; they cannot believe what they just heard. Naruto takes the initiative and summons a single Kagebunshin and transforms him into a Fuuma shuriken. The laughter immediately dies at the sign of the weapon being drawn, but seeing it to be a simple shuriken; they could still not take Naruto's battle stance seriously.

Naruto smirks; he throws the shuriken into the mass, before performing his favourite and most famous Jutsu, Kagebunshin. But Kakashi noticed something different in the seal; there is an extra hand-seal in it, a wind seal.

Naruto shouts, "Fuuton Fuuma Shuriken Taijuu Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" and suddenly that single shuriken he tossed a second ago becomes a swarm of black death, blocking even the sunlight out.

Shocked at the sudden turn of events, most shinobi in the front line don't have time to dodge the mass of shuriken. Many are struck down or impaled in an instance. Those in the back row, or those hidden within the forest, dodge the shuriken, or so they think.

As the shuriken fly past them they feel relieved to not have been hit, only to notice limbs missing or even being cut in half.

"Henge!" Naruto shouts and all the shuriken that are now lying on the ground begin turning into more Naruto's. Those few that escaped unscratched soon found them surrounded and outnumbered by thousands of Naruto, but unwilling to give up that easily they activate their cursed seal, transforming themselves into some ugly misshapen monsters with some type of weapon as an extension of their own body.

The Naruto's draw Sasuke's blade, channelling their own wind affinity into the blade. They quickly cut through the cursed seals thick armour, chopping off limbs and legs.

This quick and sudden victory leaves the whole team to focus their attention towards the last remaining Akatsuki, who at first is still shocked at the sudden defeat. Deidara quickly recovers his usual self and smirks, it seems to him that he can enjoy himself a little longer torturing this Jinchurikii before capturing him. Of course, he'll make his other team-mates, especially that pinked haired girl, who was cause of Sasori-Danna's defeat, and Copy Ninja Kakashi a part of his art.

Just in time, Deidara noticed that black haired boy with the cut-off top took to the air with some sort of painting Jutsu. A fellow artist; but unlike him his art is mediocre at best.

His dragon opens its mouth, releasing a swarm of massive spiders and locusts on the team standing on the bridge. But all of his creations are suddenly vacuumed into a mini tornado where that blonde Jinchurikii is standing. Even his mighty dragon seems to be drawn in and that boy with the painting has had enough time to summon five bird-like drawings that seem to be heading his way.

Deidara moves his dragon away and has it spit out multiple birds, some clash against the drawings and some head towards the team down below. Kakashi's shuriken skills prevent any further damage to the team below and the boy on his black bird now starts chasing him, forcing him into a dog fight.

Each time his dragon fired a multitude of his creations at team Konoha, it would either be fended off by the boys painting, Kakashi's shuriken skills or the Jinchurikii's wind Jutsu.

How irritating, Deidara thought. I cannot believe they are able to ruin my art with their cheap and classless Jutsu. It may take some chakra, but it will be a fantastic blast, his thoughts continue.

His hands eat at some clay while his dragon fends off Sai and his painting. Meanwhile on the ground Naruto releases his Taijuu Kagebunshin and is about to plan a combined attack with Yamato to aid Sai, as they see the huge C3 bomb appear again.

But this time around Kakashi is ready for that bomb, and as it falls towards them, he uses his Mangekyou Sharingan to send it into another Dimension, before it can do any harm.

"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Deidara screams in frustration. He cannot believe his masterpiece can just vanish into oblivion without even destroying anything. Suddenly multiple water-roses strike at his dragon, but he manages to elude them in the nick of time.

"Fine! I was saving this for Itachi-san but you guys have a Sharingan wielder as well, so I may as well test it out against you first! Behold you irritating little bugs, my C4!"

Deidara eats some of his clay with his own mouth before spitting out a colossal sized Deidara onto the bridge. Its form soon collapsed and Kakashi could see a cloud of chakra above them descending downwards.

"Watch out!" he shouts but Naruto instinctively uses his Fuuton Rasengan, summoning another tornado. All the descending chakra is suddenly sucked into the tornado and rises back up into the sky.

Furious now, Deidara just detonates his Nano-bombs which immediately seem to dissipate the tornado. And there lay Naruto, injured and burned by the Nano-bombs, maybe not from the inside, as Deidara planned, but by the ones that reached him from the outside.

He smiles evilly and self-satisfied. Even if it didn't completely go according to plan, his art is still the more superior one.

Shocked at the injuries, Sakura hurries to Naruto, trying to give him first aid. As she starts healing him, Naruto pushes her away. He draws Sasuke's blade and he slices towards Deidara's dragon with much effort.

Pathetic, Deidara thinks. Your blade cannot reach me this high up. Suddenly the dragon's solid form turns into a liquid and falls completely apart.

"What?!" Deidara finds himself falling. He quickly creates a clay-bird for himself to stand on, but Sai is quick, too, and destroys the just formed bird with one of his phoenix paintings before trying to capture Deidara. Deidara releases two snake-like bombs from his hands and destroys the bird Sai's been riding on before he tries creating another bird.

It turns out to be a failure; he doesn't have enough chakra left to create another bird. So he directs his fall towards the water in hope to gain just a little bit of time before the Konoha ninja catch up with him. But as he falls past them, wood suddenly stretches out from underneath the bridge and entangles him.

A shadow creeps along the wood and is about entangle him, but he slips his right arm towards the left side of his chest before he is completely paralyzed. The wood carries him over towards his captors.

Deidara just laughs at them. He only stops to catch his breath, but then continues laughing. "I cannot believe it, such a superior artist as myself, being captured by the ones that did Sasori-Danna in."

They approached him carefully, Naruto being supported by Sakura. "Jinchurikii, you've come far. Actually you are the only one our organization has not captured. I see now, why you were assigned to Itachi-san. You are indeed the most powerful and frightening Demon among all others." He smiled, grinned and laughed darkly.

"But I won't have it! I won't leave you to Itachi, you are mine, and you will be part of my most beautiful masterpiece. If I cannot have you and that pink girl, along with your guardian the copy ninja Kakashi, no one shall!" Suddenly his whole body began to grow, chakra veins popped and his body became ready for an explosion.

Almost all reacted, aiming to retreat, except for Kakashi and Naruto. Naruto moved in with two Kagebunshin at his side, the air around him sharp as razorblades, while Kakashi turned his Sharingan into the Mangekyou Sharingan. At the last moment before the explosion ignites, Naruto lands his Fuuton Rasenshuriken engulfing Deidara and himself in a gargantuan sphere of cutting blades.

"Naruto!" Sakura screams. She knows what these blades will do to one's chakra circulatory; they sever them, all of them. Not only that, they could even cut and sever the most solid chakra manipulation known to shinobi. Once hit you could never be a shinobi again.

The explosion never happened and as the sphere finally died down, Naruto lay next to Deidara on the ground. Deidara still looked deformed but is breathing, but Naruto merely lies there deathly still.

"No, Naruto!" Sakura cried. She rushed to him and immediately started on reviving him. "Don't die! Don't die! You can't leave, you hear me! Not when we just… no I won't have it. You hear me, don't you dare die on me now! Come back, Come back!"


	4. Chapter 4 4th Great Shinobi War

**Amaterasu – Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal Stuff: Naruto & co © Kishimoto

So this one took me a little longer to write, all due to me not being able to depict a character to my liking after what had happened in chapter 3

Please review, it always helps me to get better

**Revision:** 04.03.2008 betaed by homesweethomicide13 (thank you)

**Chapter 4: The 4th Great Shinobi War**

There was a rustle in the nearby bushes. Shuriken flew and clashed together. Shinobi hid in those bushes. Konohamaru and his team hide themselves, being outnumbered by the other shinobi.

"Konohamaru-kun, we have to retreat!" Udon says, pushing his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose.

"No, we can't retreat! If we retreat here, it will be a major set back. We must hold …" Konohamaru replies, but his sentence is cut off as huge fireball came hurtling towards their hiding place.

"Fire Sealing No Jutsu." A familiar voice booms.

Before them, with his back turned towards them, a tall blond man stands. He holds in his left hand an unravelled scroll and in his right hand he holds a long quarterstaff. The huge fireball that was about to hit Konohamaru's team is sucked into the scroll in an instant.

"Naruto-niichan! Thanks for coming to our aid." Moegi cries

The blond turns his head slightly to give her a big grin, before assuming the 'Nice Guy' pose. He then proceeds to jump out into the open.

Provocative, he lets his quarterstaff dance around his full body before shouting out loud;

"Oh, Oh, Oh! You little scum; before you stands the one, the mighty, and the only Uzumaki Naruto! Known all over the world for his manly charms that no woman can resist. and his infinite might, you all shall fall before him!"

As he finishes his charming entrance speech, enemy shuriken flies his direction. He dodges them by a hairs width.

"You cowards! Come out and fight me!" He shouts. He points with his left hand at the exact spot the enemies are hiding and motioning them to come at him, while letting his quarterstaff spin continuously in his right hand.

A few more shuriken and a fireball fly his way, which he dodges with a sideways somersault while shooting a volley of shuriken at his enemies. After the precise attack from Naruto, three enemy shinobi leap out from the bushes, kunai and swords ready.

"He's only one Konoha shinobi, surround him and kill him!"

But to their surprise, Naruto is holding, no, dominating, all three shinobi with his taijutsu and weaponry skills. An enemy shinobi at Naruto's back believes he sees an opening and charges in head-first. Milliseconds later, he is lying on his back feeling rather light-headed. His whole body jerks upwards, but he doesn't feel a follow- up. No, he only hears his other two team-mates being attacked by the quarterstaff, and a shout.

"Uzumaki Sempu!" The enemy feels his legs being swept from underneath him, and then a quarterstaff smacks him square in the face, sending him flying away. He smashes against a rock with a dull and hollow sound, and blood spills over the smooth surface of the rock.

The one ninja that escaped utter defeat screams, "Back up, where are y… you …"

He barely finishes his sentence as his friends in hiding fly past his face, in pain and also smacking against rocks. As he looks towards their hiding place, a pink-haired kunoichi appears, dusting off her hands.

A shadow stretches over the enemy Nin's face. He looks up to see a white-haired male with a glowing red left eye. The Nin screams, before passing out cold.

"Nice job Naruto!" Sakura smiles at him, wanting to give him a kiss, but Naruto stops her.

"We missed one." he says. Like it was nothing, he turns his quarterstaff into a three sectioned staff and throws one end towards a high tree branch. A long chain springs out of the staff and it winds itself a few times around the branch.

With the aid of his quarterstaff, he swings himself up onto the next tree. "Konohamaru, I am counting on you to continue to hold this pass," he says in a commanding voice. "Let's go Sakura-Chan, Kakashi-sensei. He might actually take us to an enemy camp if we are lucky." Unwinding his staff from the branch, he jumps ahead.

"It's unbelievable that he took out a Jounin and a Chuunin by himself, whilst fending off another Jounin, even though he has lost all his ability to channel any chakra," Kakashi comments, before chasing after Naruto with Sakura.

"That's my Naruto," Sakura answered him. "He won't let the impossibility stop him from achieving his goal. He has become such a reliable man in these past three years, it's unbelievable."

"True, three years ago, no one would have thought that Naruto could still be a shinobi after what had happened on the Great Naruto Bridge," Kakashi says. "With your medical skill you saved Naruto from the verge of death from internal bleeding, due to all his muscles being torn. And after recovering in a hospital for a month, Naruto was diagnosed that he had lost the ability to channel his chakra forever. But he never regretted his decision, he just said he will live a man's life, a man who will protect the things precious to him with his own two arms, no matter how tough, no matter how sad they are, and he will gladly sacrifice his life to protect them. And his goal was still to become Hokage. Everyone around him said it was impossible, but his will wouldn't waver. Instead he asked Gai and Lee to train him, to take him in as an apprentice. At first they were sceptical, remember, Sakura." Kakashi says, starting a conversation with Sakura.

"Yes, I remember, I was there," Sakura answers, "Naruto made a bet with them. If he could out last them in their silly training exercise, they would have to take him in as their apprentice. Say Kakashi-sensei, why didn't Naruto come to you or Jiraiya-san to ask for help?"

"Neither of us would probably be able to give Naruto the encouragement he needed to overcome his difficulties at that time. We aren't the hot-blooded type to keep his moral high, such as Gai and Lee are. And he exceeded anyone's expectations, both Gai and Lee put Naruto through a non-stop one week training exercise, but even after one week, Naruto had enough stamina to continue for another three days. Gai and Lee were totally beaten by Naruto's sheer will power and stamina. While they rested their bodies from the week long exercise, Naruto only took a day of rest. It seems that although he had lost all his chakra, the Kyuubi's regeneration powers were not lost to him."

"Yes, and I am glad he didn't loose that power. He needs it more then ever. With all the danger he is facing now, anything to increase his survival chanes makes my heart rest a little easier. He trained like a maniac with the two of them, didn't he?"

"True, I think the bits of green in his orange uniform is a tribute to his late sensei, and to Lee."

Chuckling, Sakura continues "He always had a horrible taste for fashion, but I can forgive him for that. Though he is forbidden to wear that outfit when we are on dates or going out to eat. He fought very hard, even with Tsunade-shishou, too, when it came to mission rankings. With all the pressure on her Tsunade could only allow him to have C-Rank missions for the first half year. I can't believe he bet his whole career on the line to allow him to have B-Ranking and higher missions."

"Yes, that year's Chuunin exam was truly something spectacular. It was also the last Chuunin exam before the war broke out. The bet was 'If I don't make first place in the Chuunin final tournament, then I shall stop being a ninja!' I don't know how, but it seemed Tsunade really is horrible at betting."

"He took charge of Konohamaru's team and took them all the way through the second exam; it was astonishing that he had developed such good leadership skills in such a short amount of time. And during the preliminaries he even defeated a Genjutsu specialist. It was actually funny to say the least. The Genjutsu specialist from the mist was feared by all, and he just happened to be out of luck when facing Naruto."

"No one could have predicted such a one-sided outcome. To have lost your entire chakra circulation was actually an advantage for Naruto, since his enemy couldn't control or direct any of theirs or his chakra towards his senses, thus his loss of channelling chakra made him completely immune to any type of Genjutsu. How ironic. And he just pummelled the poor Nin into the wall behind him with a single swing of his quarterstaff, while the Nin tried desperately to win through a very powerful B ranking Genjutsu."

"Losing all your Jutsu to gain immunity to Genjutsu; I don't know if I could pay that kind of price." Sakura says in a sad tone.

"Naruto would probably be the only one who would be willing to do such a thing. He still can't run on water, can he? He solved the tree climbing most elegantly with his new three section staff. It feels like looking at a movie of Tarzan when he swings himself up into the trees."

"No, water battles would be his worst enemies, even then he continues on. And to no one's surprise his first enemy in the tournament was another mist-nin. He specialized in using large quantities of water and turned the whole arena into a swimming pool. I can't believe Naruto pulled a victory out of that one."

"Gai must have trained him really well; his physical strength and fitness are unmatched. Even with chakra I can barely keep up with him when he removes his weights. And to be able to outrun or jump the huge Fuuma shuriken… unbelievable."

"Ah, right he used those big Fuuma shuriken as his flying island, controlling them by wire, like Sasuke did, and made his way to the middle of the huge pool where his enemy stood. Shocked at the ingenuity Naruto caught him off guard, but it wasn't enough to bring a quick victory. The shinobi was good at taijutsu himself and a dragged out taijutsu battle on water emerged, with Naruto having to lift himself up quite often with his Fuuma Shuriken, sometimes holding his quarterstaff in his mouth to fend the enemy and his water dragon Jutsu off. It was spectacular to say the least. In the end he managed to place two well-placed explosive notes on the shinobi, hitting the tags with his staff to ignite them and taking the victory home."

"Gai and Lee were so proud of him and everyone cheered like crazy at the miraculous victory. The second fight wasn't as interesting as the first, another Genjutsu user who got unlucky at facing Naruto. He had some good taijutsu skills, but compared to Naruto's state he was almost unmatched.

"The last one was another interesting match. Seeing as Water was one of his weaknesses, the Suna-nin prepared an extra scroll with a large pool of water then proceeded to use his own elemental affinity to his advantage; wind. None of Naruto's Fuuma shuriken could reach him so he thought himself safe from Naruto."

"Yes, but he didn't know how stubborn Naruto could be, especially this being the final battle with everything for Naruto on the line. He gave Gai that look, and Gai just gave him the nice guy pose. Standing at the edge of one of the large gates inside the coliseum, he removed all his weights. Even with the water in between them, the weight cracked the ground below it. Then it was so embarrassing to see him do his next actions. I was completely red, wanted to hide in some hole or somewhere or shout that I am not his girlfriend."

"Ah yes, he took off almost all his clothes except for his pink squirrel underwear." Kakashi says, but sees that Sakura still flushes red at the mention of that scene. "He used his own clothes as a way to walk on the water, while at the same time dodging the onslaught of wind Jutsu. Slowly but steadily he moved closer and the Suna-nin just kept his distance in hope of defeating him that way. How sad that he didn't know that Naruto's stubbornness and his stamina were unmatched by anyone and soon the Suna-nin found himself almost void of any chakra. But he wouldn't give up that easily, eating a soldier pill, he replenished his chakra, but at that point Naruto had closed in enough that it was to be a melee showdown. Even though Naruto was much faster and better at taijutsu then the Suna-nin, with his limited mobility and untimely destruction of large pieces of his clothes, the Suna-nin was keeping Naruto at bay."

"Yes, but that was actually a trap from Naruto's side. He didn't need large pieces of cloth to keep himself afloat. And when the Suna-nin was surrounded by his shredded clothing Naruto began his true attack, 'Uzumaki, The power of Youth Super Combo!' what a corny name to name that combo."

"But it fits him. Sending his enemy flying with a back kick, a follow up of many critical hits to vital organs, before he sends them swirling back down with his quarterstaff at super speed. With his victory secured Tsunade was finally able to convince the council that Naruto was fit again to do more dangerous missions, and just in time, since Akatsuki made its move only 2 months later."

"I cannot believe they summoned three bijuu and let them march into the three great nations and wipe out a substantial amount of all three countries' forces before sending in their main forces against the Iwa-nin."

"They kept Konoha and Suna from invading Rain by placing not only the Akatsuki members Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu and Tobi – I still don't understand how he survived - but also had 4 bijuu at their disposal, thus making any attempts suicidal. Akatsuki has been focusing all their forces at invading the Earth country but it seems they have secured a complete victory and now are focusing their forces towards Suna." Kakashi just finishes in time to see Naruto holding his left hand out as to say for them to stop. Using hand signals, he gives them directions and the team splits up.

Placing a paper seal on a tree, Naruto lets two Fuuma shuriken fly into a camp of 16 shinobi. The ninja on sentry duty alerts the others, only to see a yellow shadow jump on top of the Fuuma Shuriken, and then land in the middle of the crowd.

The enemies further away start forming hand seals while the ones closest begin an all out melee attack against Naruto. He defends against six shinobi, then they are suddenly withdrawn a little farther away for their Jutsu to hit him, but nothing happens. Instead all their Jutsu fail to channel. Naruto smirks; the chakra sealing seals were placed in time, and he continues pummelling against sixteen shocked shinobi.

"Uzumaki, Hyper Naruto Youthful Combo!"

Naruto sends eight of them up into the air and follows up with an unknown number of hits before sending them swirling towards their own comrades. Stacked piles of beaten shinobi now lie in the camp. Out of the trees come Sakura and Kakashi.

"Well, done, Naruto," Sakura says and kisses him passionately, he returns her kiss. Unbeknown to them, a shinobi was still conscious and with his own and his team-mates' blood he forms a series of hand seals and shouts out loud "Demon Summon Sacrifice!"

Naruto and co turn around shocked as they witness a sacrificial summoning. All the stacked up bodies are marked with some kind of cursed seal before evaporating into smoke. The smoke turns larger and larger until it grows to the size of a gargantuan beast. It stretches itself and smells of malice and evil. A tail extends out of the smoke and then all of a sudden, the one-tail demon Shukaku stands before Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei, its weakness lies in the Thousand Years of Pain. I'll distract it while you ram your Raikiri into its weak spot." Naruto shouts and proceeds to climb Shukaku. Sand claws emerge trying to grapple or slash at Naruto, but as agile and fit as he is, he easily avoids them. On top of Shukaku's head he places some explosive notes, getting its attention. Trying to shake Naruto off it starts jumping around like mad, destroying the surrounding area like it didn't matter. Kakashi couldn't get a good aim at its tail spot and could only follow Shukaku and Naruto with Sakura behind him.

When it spots a very deep chasm, it jumps over it, barrel rolling and throwing Naruto into the chasm.

Naruto screams as he falls.

"Naruto …!" Sakura screams.

"Yiekie, kie, kie!" Sakura and Kakashi hear Shukaku talk. "I remember your face, blonde brat! You ruined my fun last time I was out! I won't let you do that again!"

It blasts many air balls into the chasm or against it. Huge pieces of rock fall down towards Naruto. Recognizing his chance to escape his dark untimely grave, Naruto begins jumping up the pieces of rock. As he finally makes it to the last one, a huge ball of chakra hits him square in the face, sending him unconsciously backwards back down into the cliff.

"Yiekie, kie, kie! That sat right on the mark! Die, boy!" And another volley of air balls shatter the chasm, sending blocks of stone down with Naruto into his grave.

"Naruto …." Sakura screams.


	5. Chapter 5 Who am I?

**Amaterasu – The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal Stuff: Naruto & co. © Kishimoto

This chapter will probably appear after quite a "long" period of absence. This is due to the fact that I didn't have any internet for a week or more.

I am taking some liberties here, actually quite a lot.

Not beta read as always. And reviews are always welcomed.

**Chapter 5  
Who am I?**

In a badly lighten cellar corridor water is dripping down slowly. As the cold water hits warm flesh, the muscles tighten, reacting to the cold. So it continues for what seems like an eternity, then the blond boy opens his sky blue eyes. His head hurts, he feels stiff. Letting out a painful moan he rises to his feet and at first he is startled as to where he is. Everywhere he looks, he only sees horribly lightened cellar corridors with feet high water in them. Then he starts recognizing the place he is in and immediately moves along into a corridor knowing where it will lead him to. Leaning against the wall he stumbles forward, without knowing he suddenly trips over his own feet.

"Boy …" a deep malicious voice says, "You look pathetic and weak. Have you come to beg me? … To beg me to aid you?"

Behind gigantic bars two red and malicious eyes gaze down and judge the fallen Naruto. Slowly with much effort, Naruto rises to his feet. He returns a gaze unfazed by the temptation of power unwavering at the judgment the Kyubi has placed upon him. Naruto's facial expression show determination.

"Hmph! As if I need to ask you for power. I said it before, I will never let you harm my loved ones again," he answers.

"Then answer me this boy, how will you protect them? Both your arms are crushed. Your chakra is lost; your body is buried underneath thousand and thousands of rocks that no human however powerful can break. What power will you summon what power do you have left, but mine! But … mine is not to be taken, mine is a gift that only I shall grant. And when I grant it, I shall be the one in control," Kyubi says in a high and mighty voice.

"A power that defeated you before, a power that has imprisoned you right here; the power of ones will to protect that which is most precious to one. The power of the will of fire; it has defeated you once and it will do so again. You say your power is not to be taken?! Then I take that power from you, if must by force and make it mine. Your power was entrusted to me, so I may protect those precious to me and I intend to do as such."

"Is that a challenge I hear?! A weakling like you challenging me?! You are lucky that your father summoned the death god to imprison me within you; you do not have that power now. How will you defeat me, without your chakra, without your Ninjutsu, with out your limbs when tear them apart from you?"

"I will defeat you, I am going to make that power mine, tear my limbs of if you must, then I shall craw up towards you, rip me to shreds and I will stare at you until I have pierced and shattered you with all my will."

"Then come show me this power of yours, challenge me! Tear down this seal and challenge me!"

Provoked and without any other option Naruto stumbles forward, taking the challenge head on. Each time he looses his balance and falls, the kyubi laughs enjoying each moment in that Naruto is struggling. An eternity passes before Naruto finally reaches the gate, but the seal seems so ever high and with only his left arm and right leg to support him, Naruto begins his climb up the bars. After reaching two meters he loses his grip and falls back down crashing his left arm as he lands. He crawls himself back towards the bar and tries using his bite to hold onto the bar, but it is too thick for such a maneuver to work.

The kyubi signs, though he loves seeing Naruto struggle as much as he does, the prospect of freedom is too tempting over this enjoyment. With his paws he lifts the surprised Naruto up to the seal.

"Do not believe that I am aiding you, for my freedom out of this prison, I shall lift you up to the seal. I can enjoy myself with other people struggling, fearing me," He says in a malicious voice.

"Like you will get a chance at that," Naruto answers as he tears the seal off the bar with his mouth.

Laughter, malicious enjoying himself that he is finally free, the kyubi lets an avalanche of chakra flow out of his prison, smashing Naruto swirling and tumbling against the opposite wall. Then the Kyubi himself steps out of his prison so majestically that it would seem like a god descending down from his thrown. As he finally has completely left the prison, he now stands tall, colossal, before Naruto.

"Do you now realize the impossibility of you defeating me?"

"Like that wave of chakra is going to stop me from beating you!" Naruto answers.

"Is that so?!" The kyubi tilts his head to the left side, "Then let us end it here!"

With his left claw he grabs hold of Naruto, squeezes him until he crushes all his bones. Naruto can only scream out in agony, but the Kyubi doesn't stop there. Too long has his hatred and imprisonment stopped him from enjoying torturing people. So he proceeds to slicing open large gapping wounds into Naruto's body. Naruto can only continue to scream in pain and agony, his eye still unwavering. Kyubi enjoys his superiority and now rips out the broken leg and arm bones and splinters one by one, each time pausing, waiting for Naruto to catch his breath after he has finish scream for each bone he removed.

It seems like a never ending game, but even the kyubi grows tired of this. "Boy are you still alive?"

Their eyes meet each other and the Kyubi recognizes that Naruto is still there, even though he has lost all his voice to respond.

"Good, for now I shall devour you, and your existence shall forever disappear." And as said Kyubi buts Naruto into his mouth, crushing his body, biting down onto it, until they are but little bits and pieces, easy to swallow; as the Kyubi finally swallows Naruto sees himself disappearing, swallowed into darkness, his form disappearing.

Meanwhile Kakashi and Sakura are witnessing just how powerful a biju is. Shooting its chakra balls anywhere it likes, Shukaku continued destroying everything around it. But then all three noticed and immense amount of chakra flows out of the cliff where Naruto lays buried. To Sakura and Kakashi's horror they recognize it to be the Kyubi chakra.

"Argh!! No, no, no! I won't have it! I will not let you ruin my fun, Kyubi!" Shukaku screams is his squeaky voice.

Turning around Shukaku starts bombarding the cliff again with chakra bullets, sandstorms and avalanches of other powerful attacks, incomprehensible to both Sakura and Kakashi.

Unbelievably the Kyubi is unfazed by this display of power; instead it takes its sweat time, gaining its substance, turning the maelstrom of chakra into its own true demonic form. Each tail that it grows reaches far out above the cliff.

Unable to bear the pain any longer Sakura screams out, crying she screams after Naruto. Within the dark depth of this deadly cliff, red ferocious eyes gaze towards Sakura, meeting hers, they send auras of fear and terror.

"Do you see Naruto? Ah yes, you are now within me and cannot see anything, well then out of the kindness of my heart I shall grant you one last view of your loved, before I tear them apart, slowly, ever so slowly," Kyubi chuckles and within the darkness an image of Kakashi and Sakura form before Naruto's eyes. Kakashi is holding Sakura back, trying to get her to leave.

Naruto's gaze is hollow without reaction at the sight of Kakashi and Sakura.

"Oh look at her, Naruto, look at your love, she's yet so brave, I believe she trying to shout out to you, look at her grabbing onto herself, squeezing herself to shout out one last time. Oh, this will the most beautiful music to my ears, won't you share this experience with me, Naruto?" Kyubi says.

His head turns, his ears opens and are focused on Sakura, and he waits smiling. Seeing both those evil eyes fixed on her Sakura closes her eyes, remembering the warm sky blue and kind eyes that Naruto has, remembering his face, his hair, his ever so soft smile, his kind heart and voice. She gathers all her strength and bravery and shouts out in tears

"Naruto!"

Within the dark hollowness her scream travels ever so loud until like a tsunami it crashes down against Naruto's head. His eye blink, they blink again, his iris focuses and finally he sees a clear image of Sakura, crying in terror and fear. He never wanted to see so much despair in her eyes again, not since Sasuke had left her had she such despairing eyes. Never ever had he wished to see her in so much pain again, and yet there she is in absolute despair, looking down on him fearing for him.

He wishes to hold onto that image, but there are no arms that reacted to his wish, no feet that would carry him towards his crying Sakura. He remembers how the Kyubi destroyed him, had taking his body. The image begins to fade and not knowing what else to do, Naruto looks around him, trying to find something to hold onto something that can give him hope in the everlasting darkness. Then in last beams of light he sees a red light glowing ever so faint in the far distance. With his lips, tongue and teeth, he crawls his head towards the light. When he finally reaches the light, the source is but a very, very tiny fox with nine tails.

"Who are you?" it asks in a childish and innocent voice.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto answers.

"Then who am I?" the chibi fox asks.

"You …" Naruto pauses, he was about to say Kyubi, but then he felt like that this answer is more of an insult then anything. Who as this little fox? Why did he exist within that demon? Who was I?

I am Uzumaki Naruto, son to Yondaime Hokage, the boy who inherited his will of fire. I am Uzumaki Naruto, the boy who was dead last in his academy, failing the Genin test three times, only to pass with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. I am Uzumaki Naruto, the one Iruka-sensei recognizes, the one that grew up with Team 7, the one that made bonds with all of rookie 9 and team Gai. I am the one who Jiraiya took in as his grandson and apprentice. Tsunade sees me as her grandson, too, and all of Konoha knows me as the loudmouth, prankster, pervert and number one surprising shinobi, Uzumaki Naruto. I am Uzumaki Naruto, the one that failed to bring back Sasuke and the one that loves Sakura and the one she loves.

"Then who am I?" the chibi fox asks again as Naruto finishes his thought.

"You … are … also Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto answers.

"There cannot be two Uzumaki Naruto," the little fox answers.

"No, there cannot," Naruto agrees.

"Then who am I?" the fox grows ever so impatient.

"You are me, and I am you," Naruto answers.

"I am you, and you are me?" the fox repeats. "Then I am …"

"We are …" Naruto corrects him.

"We are Uzumaki Naruto …" both say simultaneously.

The little fox approaches Naruto entering him; they burn both burn so hot it is unbearable. Memories of past and present fade together forming and rebuilding a human being. He stands tall, muscular, with wild blond hair. He has whisker-like features on his face resembling a fox. His eyes are sky blue with a tint of red like a setting iris that resembles the eye of a demon fox.

Naruto feels his whole body burning, a sensation he didn't not feel since his Rasengan training with Ero-senin back when he was going to recruit Tsunade-baachan as their Godaime Hokage. He knows this feeling, he knows he has his chakra back, he knows he has his Jutsu back and he knows he can break free from this darkness, since his love and bonds are stronger then this imprisonment that holds him here.

Kagebunshin no Jutsu

Two more Naruto appear before him, together they form the Fuuton Rasenshuriken. He then proceeds too attack the deepest and darkest point with it, tearing and shattering it apart.

Meanwhile Kyubi has finally completed its true form and is about to jump out of the cliff, when he notices the sudden change. His tails suddenly all stop wiggling and his gaze fazes inward.

"You … how …" Kyubi shouts out loud, but it is too late, his form shreds apart fading into oblivion.

Kakashi and Sakura are astonished. Sakura screams in joy.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu

Gamabunta appears from within the smoke and on top stands a blond boy, sharp and sexy as ever.

"Oi, Naruto, how dare you summon me in a cliff again! Besides didn't you loose all your chakra and Jutsu?" Gamabunta says.

"Will you give me lift, Boss," Naruto answers. "Also I need you help with Shukaku again."

"What Shukaku, again? Like I'd help you …"

At that time a huge amount of rock fall crashing down towards them.

Fuuton Rasengan

"Hmph! Won't let me play around in peace, will it!" Gamabunta says, "Fine last time I didn't get the raccoon pelt that I wanted, so this time around, make sure you get me the pelt, Naruto."

With a gigantic leap Gamabunta jumps out of the maelstrom of air and derbies.

The scene is just like the last time they faced off. A clash of titans, but this time around, Naruto stands tall and mighty before them and there is no Gaara as a medium to wake.

"Listen, Boss, its armors weakness lies underneath its tail. Get me close and I'll deal with it myself," Naruto says.

"Just like last time, eh?" Gamabunta says. "Let's see if you have gotten stronger, Naruto boy."

Drawing his short sword Gamabunta tries to close in on Shukaku, but the beast at its full power doesn't give an inch, instead it bombards them with chakra bullets and sand attacks it just tears further scars into the landscape. Gamabunta evades many bullets then jumps into the air to avoid a direct hit. Shukaku continues firing his chakra bullets and Gamabunta counters with several water-balls, as they hit each other rain falls down to earth like during the monsoon season. Yet, just like last time Gamabunta misses one, but unlike last time, Naruto is the one to counter it with his quarterstaff high he sends a sharp wind slash, splitting the ball in two.

"Naruto some fire!"

And Gamabunta spits out a cone of oil towards Shukaku. Naruto tosses an explosive note into the oil and ignites it. The fire is bright white and scorches Shukaku sand armor until it is forms a glass shell.

"Now!" Naruto shouts.

With a giant leap Gamabunta is next to Shukaku, who just managed to crack the glass shell. Naruto jumps off and dashes across Shukaku's back towards his tail, but with all the cracks sand arms try to grab hold of him. Avoiding them in a Zick-Zack he pushes forward, suddenly all the glass shatters and try to hurt and pierce Naruto. Lifting himself into the air with a push of his quarterstaff Naruto uses his Kagebunshin to throw him further and further ahead. Gamabunta distances himself as all the glass fly around.

Super Secret ancient Konoha attack! One thousand years of pain!

Naruto has managed to reach the tail and place a kunai with an explosive note attached to it in the supposed butt hole. Then as he falls the small explosion cracks all of Shukaku's armor. Multiple water-balls hit Shukaku and then his right forearm is sliced off by Gamabunta.

As Naruto finally lands on a tree top he summons a few Kagebunshin and shouts

"Fuuton Rasengan"

The maelstrom forms right underneath Shukaku and lifts, propels him into the air like a rocket.

"Boss, give me a lift up!" Naruto shouts and Gamabunta takes him up into the air, rising up parallel to Shukaku. Naruto jumps off Gamabunta's head and forms his trade mark Kagebunshin hand-seal. Like a yellow ring two hundred Naruto pop into existence around Shukaku.

"Final Attack, Uzumaki Naruto's 100 Hit Rasengan Combo!"

Every other Naruto holds a bright yellow ball of swirling death and impact Shukaku with their Rasengan. One hundred explosions shatter the rest of Shukaku's form and only sand remains and falls down towards the forest.

Jumping off Gamabunta's head Naruto then finally joins up with Kakashi and Sakura.

"Naruto …" – "Sakura-Chan!"

Naruto awaits her open arms, as they are about to hug each other a crisp and loud smacking sound echoes through the whole forest.

"Don't you scare me like ever again!" Sakura cries out in tears, while being embraced by his strong arms.

"I won't, ever this is the last time, promise," he answers softly.

"Well I'll leave you two then," Gamabunta says, "it was fun."

Kakashi joins them and they return to their camp slowly, enjoying each moment they are together.


	6. Chapter 6 Hero

**Amaterasu – Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal: Naruto & co. © Kishimoto

Author Note: So this will be an experiment. I intend to write this whole chapter in first person view, thus any omnipotence is lost. The primary first person you are going to get information out of is Sakura. Since she is a girl, I may not be able to give a "correct" view on her thought pattern and I may use stereotypical action for her. I am a guy, if you haven't read my bio yet, so it's going to be hard for me to put myself into a girls head.

If you don't like how I depicted Sakura and her thoughts, write me a review and shoot me!

Then there is another thing I should note. Naming something, especially in China (I am Chinese) they sometimes like to give you nicknames. For example the English word "brave" is in kanji "YONG GAN". 2 Kanji symbols representing the name and friends or family might just say "XIAO GAN" meaning little/Chibi GAN. Well it is difficult to recreate this in the English language, but in this stories chase it just happen that it works out. For the nickname I will use Chibi Name or maybe also little Name . So I hope it won't feel too weird when it happens.

As always Reviews!

**Chapter 6  
Hero**

The three of us, myself, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, were heading back towards Konoha, when suddenly a strong Mist formed. I didn't want to believe it, an enemy trap, and then all the sudden a huge sky blue eyes were eyeing straight at me. But the face did not fit to the eyes, instead to the eyes was a face marked with gruesome, cruelty and ferocity only the Kyubi could have.

While moving its large razor sharp white teeth ready to devour me at any seconds it asked me with a deep and malicious voice, "Who am I?"

I was about to say Kyubi, but the kind sky blue eyes had a magnetic effect to me and I just asked "Naruto?"

Before I could hear an answer though, the head vanished within the mist and all the sudden besides me stood a small kitsune. It looked childlike, innocent, and cute but its eye had a sense of death, chaos, destruction and evil in them unmatched by anything except once again Kyubi. It asked me the same question as the previous one, "Who am I?"

Genjutsu? And I was about to perform a Genjutsu release, when it zoomed up my body, standing on my right shoulder and whispered, "Are you going to run away from the answer," in the most childish, and innocent voice I had heard. Then I realized something and I just smiled at him in the most loving and warmest smile and said, "Naruto." There was no question in my answer, it was straight and confident, and I knew the answer.

It jumped off my shoulder and waved with its nine tails to follow, and so it took me not much further to Kakashi-sensei, who was kneeling down, trembling, and in sweat. He had his Sharingan open analyzing the Jutsu, but it seem too unbelievably difficult that even with his Sharingan he could not break free of it. The small kitsune vanished, so I ran to aid Kakashi-sensei, "Kakashi sensei," I shouted.

"Sakura, get away, its dangerous, this Genjutsu, way to powerful," he was barely able to bring this sentence out; he felt the weight of the Jutsu wearing him down.

"No, Kakashi-sensei, you are seeing everything in the wrong light," and I lifted his head up. He flinched; he probably was now looking straight at the huge head with his Sharingan. With my left hand I covered his Sharingan.

"What are you doing, Sakura, without the Sharingan …"

"Yes, look at him without your Sharingan, Kakashi-sensei. You should know him better, then to have to rely on the Sharingan to analyze him," I answered.

He opened his right eye and gazed upon the large fox head, it took him a while, but then he noticed it, too. "I see, now I understand," he said with a smiling face. "No wonder he chose you, Sakura. You do know him best. Isn't that right, Naruto."

He stood up now, the heaviness lifted and the little kitsune appeared again and asked the same question again. "Hmm, who are you indeed," Kakashi pondered.

To myself I thought, well isn't that obvious, that's also Naruto. But Kakashi seemed to think differently, opening his Sharingan eye one more time he looked at the small kitsune. It growled, it didn't like that eye, that analytical eye of a Sharingan. With a smiling face Kakashi then answered,

"You are a hero …"

At the sound of the word "hero", the little kitsune wiggled happily all its nine-tails,

"… in the making," Kakashi finished his sentence.

"Hmph!" was the kistune's response and turned its back towards Kakashi looking all angered. I couldn't stop giggling at this sight. But just as quickly as the kitsune appeared it disappeared again, we tried to make our way out of the mist, but it seemed to get even thicker as we tried moving. Then a figure's shadow appeared, it turned out to be Naruto.

"Naruto, I am so glad you are save," I said and gave him a quick hug, "but when did you learn to do such a powerful Genjutsu?"

"I didn't, he did," Naruto answered and the little kitsune appeared on top of his head, wiggling all its tails.

"He's so cute, Naruto, does he have a name?" I said.

"Well, Naruto of course…" he answered.

"Two Naruto's; hmm, a little hard to differentiate," Kakashi-sensei said, "Why don't we give him a different name?"

At the prospect of earning a real name, it jumped down, wiggling its tail, waiting for us to pick a name.

"How about, Joe, no? John, Moe, Peter, Jack, Russell, Rolf, Wolf, Wolfgang, Alex, Dominic …" Kakashi just continued naming common names and the kitsune just continued shaking its head in disagreement.

A name for this little guy, he is all cute, fluffy and sweet, but has the potential to be ferocious, and strong. The potential, eh? Then I remembered something just a few seconds ago so I interrupted the two saying, "How about Hero, as a name? Didn't you like the sound of that little one?"

Now there couldn't be a happier face in entire galaxy then this little guy's at the sound of his new name. "So it is going to be Chibi Ro," Kakashi said. It growled in anger at the sound of making him sound less heroic.

"Don't say such belittling things, Kakashi-sensei. Come here, Chibi-Ro," and it zoomed up to my shoulder again.

"Hey, now that's not …" fair that's what he wanted to say, but I gave him a look that just said, quite it and I think Chibi-Ro, too, gave him the same look. With his tails he kept tickling me cheeks and I kept petting his chin.

"The enemy is still out there," Naruto said and I immediately stopped playing around. "Follow me." And he guided us to two people dressed in black cloaks with red clouds on them.

Akatsuki

Unbelievable to have bound especially these two in a Genjutsu; Itachi and Kisame were both standing there, staring blankly into the mist. Then I heard Kisame say, "Well isn't that obvious who you are, you are the nine-tail demon fox." He chuckled feeling his superiority. Then suddenly he just buckled down in pain and the heaviness of the Jutsu, it seemed if you answered wrong, the more powerful the Jutsu became.

"Kisame" Itachi voiced, but it seems even with his Sharingan he could not break free of the Jutsu.

"Shall I finish him, Naruto?" Kakashi said.

"Go ahead …"

At the sound of both of them speaking, Itachi turned his head, seemingly noticing the voice, but unable to see them. Lightning sparked and Kakashi rammed his signature Jutsu Raikiri through Kisame's chest. He grunted, before dying.

"Mangekyou Sharingan!" and Itachi's eyes changed to their dreadful form that could instantly kill anyone on sight.

"Tsukiyomi"

The fog got thicker and then all cleared to a sight most gruesome to me. There was Itachi crucified on a cross and then there was another Itachi holding a katana, facing each other, the one with the katana said, "For the next 72 hours, I shall repeatedly stab you with this katana." And without any further warnings, he stabbed the crucified Itachi. Screaming out in pain, he woke up on a new crucifix and it continued for a very, very long time. At almost the end of the 72 hours of suicidal crucifixation, Kakashi stepped into the scene and Itachi could see him.

"Kakashi-san? How?"

"Indeed, how, is your Sharingan failing you at such an important time? Or is it that even with the Sharingan you cannot break free of this Genjutsu? The Jutsu looks quite simple now doesn't it, Itachi-san. Indeed it looks so simple one might think it is an E-- Rank Genjutsu, but what is hidden underneath the underneath is far more gruesome then you could ever imagine. This is a SSS++ Ranking Genjutsu, even you as a Genjutsu specialist won't be able to break out of it with a simple forceful dispel. Itachi-san this Genjutsu is a paradox, just as the answer to the question the head asked is a paradox, but with your analytical eyes you cannot see passed the structural form of this Jutsu. That is also why you failed to notice that your own Jutsu doing you in." With that, the last katana was shoved into Itachi's stomach, screaming in pain he collapsed.

The mist disappeared and before us laid two of the most fearsome Akatsuki members, one dead and the other one unconscious defeated by his own Genjutsu.

"Naruto…"

Kakashi began, "I think you should unsummon or hide Hero for a while. He might cause panic if someone saw him with all the tails, they might think of him as the demon fox."

The fox gave Kakashi at first a growl then looked at him with humongous puppy eyes and a sad face, trying to plea his case. It was so heart touching I just had to hug him. Holding him in my arms we all looked at Naruto. I could read it off his face, that he was quite torn at the thought.

"I'll let you out as soon as we get home again, promise." He said and released the Jutsu and in my arms were just a puff of smoke.

"Let ANBU handle the imprisoning of these two," Kakashi said and let a small bird flew towards Konoha. Not too soon two squads of ANBU-shinobi arrived; astonished at our feat in defeating two Akatsuki members, they took care of cleaning up them quietly.

Finally at night we arrived at Konoha.

"You two go ahead and get some rest," Kakashi said, "I'll finish up the mission report."

"Would you stay at my place a little, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked in a soft voice.

"Of course"

I gave him a smile and kissed him. We walked hands in hand towards his small apartment.

"Go take a shower, I'll make dinner," I said checking his fridge. He just had enough to make a dinner for two. When I was finished pealing the vegetable I could hear the water in the shower dripping. I couldn't resist taking a peak at him, so I sneaked to the bath and opened it slightly, but all the water vapor blocked my view. I saw that he had picked a plain boxer short to wear as his underwear, so I quietly searched his drawers to something more appealing to my taste. I found something, dark, sleek and sexy and quietly switched out his underwear also taking away all his pajamas he had prepared and closed the shower door quietly, before returning to my cooking.

When the rice was done cooking, I could hear the shower door opening, Naruto said in a confused voice,

"Sakura-Chan, did you see my pajamas? I could have sworn I took them with me into the shower. Not until I had my snickering under control, did I turn around and I shot immediately red in amazement. Also I accidentally let the eggs I was holding, fell out of my hands, I couldn't believe my eyes at the man standing before me. At the sight of the falling eggs, he dashed, jumped and caught them only a few inches from where my hands had let them fall, he was so close to me now, I could see each and every muscle build on his body. They were so well defined it was unbelievable his jump suite hid them so well. Even without oiling them, they shown brightly in the badly lighten room. I just touched them, followed them along with my free hand and pressed myself against this man.

"Flex them"

"Huh?" Naruto was even more confused.

"Just do it, flex your muscle for me, will you."

Not knowing why, he did a small flex with his biceps and they were just beautiful. As he saw me enjoying it, he went a little further, and I just wanted to grab hold of these muscles, then the boiling water brought me back down to earth from my dreaminess. Cursed water! He held out the eggs he saved and I took them and continued cooking.

"You need any help?"

"Hmm, no I think I'll be fine," I said lying to him.

But as naïve as he was, he didn't hear it out of my voice, instead he went ahead and prepared the table without me saying anything.

"Erm, Sakura, I don't know how to say it, but you look good in that white apron."

I didn't face him, but I could feel my heart jump a little faster, I was definitely blushing.

"Thank you"

"Dinner is ready." And I served some vegetable, fried eggs, fish, and rice on the table.

"Itatakimasu"

He shouted and began eating; continuously commenting on how good my cooking was when he took a breath. I could just smile at this dreamy scene and slowly ate my portion of dinner.

He cleaned up his and mine dishes after we finished eating and we chatted recounting old times for a little longer, before I got up to leave. I was already opening the door, when I heard him say,

"Could you stay just a little longer, Sakura-Chan?"

"Why, Naruto?"

"Just until I am asleep, please."

Something wasn't right, I could tell in his voice. A little bit concerned about his well being, but also wanting to enjoy his muscular body a little longer I agreed to stay a little longer.

I pulled the blanked over him and soon he closed his eyes, while I was sitting next to his bed. But his breathing rhythm was short and heavy, irregular. He was having nightmares, or guilt trips. I couldn't tell exactly which of the two, but it wasn't healthy; so I petted his wild blond hair a little bit, seeing if that helped. It felt like going through a soft pelt, like that of Hero's pelt. His breathing rhythm immediately calmed down. Strange, he was like a little baby needing a mother's care now more then ever. I joined him in his bed, sitting up right at first, continuing petting him, but soon I felt cold; taking off my shirt with only my underwear I slipped into the blanket with him. He had his back turned to where I was laying, and I couldn't resist touching his shoulder and back muscles, with my hands I followed each muscle. They were hard, tensioned. I pressed my chest against his strong muscular back, holding him tightly to me and it seemed as though all his muscle relaxed soon after.

"Hey Naruto, didn't you promise Hero to let him out, once you got home?"

Not soon after, I could feel something fluffy and soft crawling inside the blanket and squeezing itself in between my chest and Naruto. It had found a comfortable spot between us and both their relaxing breathing soon had me fall asleep as well.

Something was licking my cheeks and tickling my nose with fluffiness wake me up. My eyes opened unfocused and a small red, energetic fox greeted me good morning. I blinked and then I realized it was wearing my red bra as a cape or trophy jumping around in bed. I shrieked and sat upright in a quick motion, the blanket falling off my torso, revealing my naked chest.

"Good morning, Sa –kura-Chan?" I could see him blushing and trying hard to repress a nose bleed, but still some blood dripped out. He was holding a tablet with cereals and milk on it and put it on the table. He had servings for one person, it seemed he already ate, and probably so did Hero.

"Oi, Hero, give Sakura-Chan her b… b ... bra back." He caught the energetic one and held out my bra to me while looking the other direction.

"Why don't you help me put it on, Naruto," I said in a seductive voice while giving him a sexy smile.

Pointing a finger at himself "Me? Err, sure, Sakura-Chan."

He came ever so close to me that my chest could almost touch his, then with shaking hands he adjusted the bra and was about to close it in the back, when I stole a morning kiss and drew him close to me on top of me. He didn't resist and I rolled him over onto the bed. I sat on top of him and the just adjusted bra fell immediately off again. Hero, snatched his price crowned bra and ran around the bed a couple times, but we didn't had any eyes for him anymore.

I could feel his cock hardening, just as I could feel myself watering down at my vagina.

For the next couple of hours, shinobi or citizen that passed by Naruto's apartment could hear a fox softly howling continuously, before it quieted down, either because it was over or it had howled long enough that it was bored of it. But it didn't seem to matter to the two young shinobi that were in love and expressing it with their whole body.


	7. Chapter 7 A Graveyard

**Amaterasu – The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto **

Legal: Naruto & co. © Kishimoto

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay on an update. Should for what ever reason I actually fall into the Mary Sue trap with "Hero" please write a review and shoot me. With that, I actually mean more along the lines of that I am giving Hero too much screen time. If you think he's overpowering, well he's the kyubi so he is the most powerful being around, until I think something else up.

Also this chapter took me a few tries before I had the right beginning. It felt too relaxed and out of character, or it was so stupid it completely ruined the mood of the chapter

Not beta checked.

Spell Checked.

**Chapter 7  
A Graveyard **

The soft tip of a brush flows like a spring river down a scroll of paper, its black ink shine refracting the candle light like a rainbow in every direction, the hand that holds the brush itself does not touch the paper at all and then all the sudden the tip of the brush is lifted from the paper separating it from the scroll like two lovers from each other by a force so powerful it would have to be called death itself to separate them. Then to seal its fate for all eternity it is being stamped by a seal carrying the initials of Haruno Sakura in an ink as red as blood.

A pause, the smell of pheromones is finally catching up to our pinked hair author. Sweat slowly runs down her cheeks slowly gathering at the tip of her chin while continuously breaking the gold yellow light into a rainbow that the candles are emitting. Finally after what seems like and eternity the scroll is rolled up. It receives a final seal, not just some simple wax seal, but a Ninjutsu seal so powerful that if opened incorrectly it would instantly paralyze if not outright kill the shinobi that tried opening it. To finish the touch, Sakura's sweat drop, which was clinging to her chin, fell onto the scroll. On impact it opens itself into an onyx black crown before the Ninjutsu seal freezes it in that form.

Sakura signs; finally she finished improving the revival Jutsu Chiyo-basama left her with. But although the costs of using this Jutsu are not ones life any longer, the usage of this Jutsu is outright immoral in every sense. But as of right now it doesn't matter, right now she wants to just be with Naruto. Standing up from her seat she stretches before heading out of her office.

Walking down the street towards Naruto's small apartment, she looks into her left hand. She is holding the engagement ring Naruto gave her yesterday. Its silver white platinum breaks the smallest amount of light into a rainbow, its jade stone would shine like a witch fire in the deepest of night and the gold necklace has a resemblance of Naruto's hot and wild blond hair. Naruto must have taken his time and thought it through thoroughly. He knows that during missions to wear a ring could be problematic to say the least and even while Sakura is at work in the hospital or medical research center, it would mean trouble to wear that ring at such times. That is why Naruto bought the extra golden necklace, so she could keep it with her at all times, even if she would not be wearing it on her ring finger.

Just thinking about Naruto and the possible marriage got her stomach and chest all warm and tingling again. Her desire to be close to Naruto grows with each moment she thinks about him and she speeds up her walking tempo just little by little until she is just running towards his little apartment. Finally she arrives at his little apartment and knocks on his door. But there is no respond, so getting impatient she knocks again, louder this time, but still there is no respond. Frustrated at the fact that a door is separating her from her love, she is about to punch the door in, when she hears a very quiet jiggle in her right pocket. She remembers; Naruto did give her his spare home key. Contemplating whether it would be more efficient to still smash down the door or to use the key, she decides on the more suitable solution, since it would be a little embarrassing if they would not have any privacy just because she is having one of her moods. The door clicks and opens; she enters but there is no hug or jump or even a greeting as she enters the apartment. Neither Ro-Chan nor Naruto greet her. They are not home. But for the last month they were home each time she returned from her work in the office, so why are they not home right now?

The warming sunlight on her back then reminds her of the reason. She finished early today; usually she comes home at night not at noon. They must be either at Tsunade's office or out on the training ground. But where to go first, both places are at the opposite end of town and it will take some time to travel from one place to the other, too long for her current mood. She sits down on their bed and tries remembering what Naruto and Hero discussed last night.

They were discussing something about a trademark Jutsu. Sakura ponders, laying on her back now she continues thinking back to last night. Yes, it is a trademark Jutsu. It is the Jutsu that made Namikaze Minato, Naruto's father, famous. The Jutsu that gives Minato-san his nickname, the Yellow Flash of the Hidden Village of Konoha; right, Naruto told Hero to use that Jutsu against him in tomorrows training. He wanted to test it out, wanted to find a way to surpass it that means they must be at the trainings ground right now.

Bolting up from the bed Sakura rushes out of the apartment. After locking the door she runs as fast as the wind to the training ground, but a few miles away she can already feel the intensity of their training. The earth, the trees, the air itself; they all are shaking, stirring, and bending to the clashes of these two titans. It must be an ugly and fearsome fight. Finally she arrives at the scene. She finds Kakashi-sensei leaning against a pole watching them battle with his Sharingan active and even Tsunade-shishou is witnessing and analyzing the battle.

"Good afternoon, Shishou, Kakashi-sensei."

"Oh, Sakura, you are out early today." Tsunade says surprised.

"Yes, Shishou, I finished the last touches to the Jutsu and finished it all up already. So how is their training coming along?"

"Take a look for yourself, Sakura." Kakashi says pointing at the immense cloud of dust.

There is almost no way to see through this could of dust, only from time to time three flashes of yellow clash against a single flash of orange-red. And each time they do clash more dust is stirred up thickening the already dense cloud even more. Neither is giving even an inch of ground, both are testing each others strengths and weaknesses. Naruto is fighting alongside two Kagebunshin, while Ro-chan is fighting him alone in his hybrid form.

Right, his hybrid form, Sakura thought. Ro-chan's hybrid form could also be called a "failed" transformation Jutsu, but honestly who would dare call it failed, when it retained the characteristics of his true form, a fox, and of course the humanoid features. After Tsunade officially accepted Hero into the Konoha village on the condition he'd only show a single tail, which he simply solved by bundling up all his tail into a super fluffy one, and of course that he'd give her the lottery numbers for the super ultra jackpot, Hero's been the center of attention for many girls. All the girls in our class and below wanted to pet, play or what ever else they had in mind with him and he let them do it. He was; no he still is enjoying their attention and that they accept him as one of their equal, not for something he might have been in the past. To them he is Hero, the fluffy little cute ninja fox Naruto brought back during one of his missions, nothing else mattered to them and it was good so. Ah, yes his hybrid form, he looked like a bishonen boy wearing a fox costume. Having his fox ear up on his head and big red eyes any girl would probably fall for him immediately, to top it off, he usually doesn't wear any torso clothing, leaving his chest open and naked showing off his sleek hairless chest with tight muscles. His orange-red pelt turned into some sleek trousers and of course his long wild shoulder long orange-red hair. The cream on top of this picture wasn't the katana Naruto gave him, which was Sasuke's Kusanagi, but his long fluffy fox tail with a snow white tip. It could make any girl giggle the moment it touched bare skin or even weaken their knees, none of them were immune to his charms …

Sakura's trains of thoughts are suddenly interrupted. A bright red cone, hot and intense as a million campfires, is blasted against the three Naruto. Naruto protects himself with a dome of air, spinning so fast and sharp it cut even the air his observers are breathing. The dust itself begins disintegrating and the dome becomes a flaming dome of death. Slowly but noticeably the dust is being vacuumed into the dome, while the dome's shape and from stretches upwards towards the sky. This Jutsu battle still continued, when Sakura with a loud voice, fighting against the wind, says:

"I don't want to image what the battle against Itachi and Kisame would have been, if Hero didn't use the Genjutsu. I mean look at them, the two are fighting each other in a practice battle and it is already this ugly, can you imagine the intensity, ferocity, power, and level of the battle we'd have to battle out if the two would have broken out?"

"We had luck, Sakura." Kakashi-sensei answers.

"You know what, somehow looking at this battle it feels like I am 12 years old again. Back at the Chunin exam when we still had Sasuke. Do you remember me telling you about what happened in the forest of death? Both Sasuke and Naruto were unconscious and Lee-san tried helping me. I wanted to be strong then, wanted to protect them back then even though I was so weak. I tried so hard but it wasn't enough and now it feels like just like back then all over again, when I am just an observer watching at their back trying to reach the unreachable. These two are incredible, not only is Naruto a Jounin now, but in the last month they have already gone through half of the forbidden scroll and trained with those Jutsu…"

"Don't say some useless crap, Sakura." Tsunade interrupts her now in tears pupil.

"Why do you think they can go all out like this, Sakura. Why do you think they can beat themselves up like that and continue on the next day? The answer should be obvious. It is because of you, Sakura. They depend on you so much, you don't even notice it. They trust in you so much, no words can describe it. Everyday they come home exhausted, injured beyond believe and who fixes them up? Is it not your medical Ninjutsu that fixes them up again? Is it not your caring that supports them? Isn't it your cooking that revitalizes their energy everyday? How dare you think so cheap of yourself. You are so important to them, should you disappear they would be lost like little children lost in a forest. Sakura, don't ever think so bad of yourself especially after you have become my apprentice. I never want to here something like that out of your mouth again, or I'll put you through camp again so harsh and cruel, you wish you'd never been my apprentice." Tsunade lectures her grown up apprentice sarcastically.

"Shishou …"

"Hey, check out Naruto's counter, this is incredible!" Kakashi interrupts; no he ruins the atmosphere between teacher and apprentice.

Giving him poisonous death glares both female return their attention to the Jutsu battle, which still has not concluded. At this moment the wind dome has changed its shape into a tornado and the fire has crawled up the tornado like a fire red dragon soaring into the sky. But suddenly the tornado curls and bends. Like a parabola opening downwards it guides the soaring dragon downward towards its creator. Roaring in anger the dragon swirls down. Seeing his own Jutsu being used against him, Hero stops blasting it. Instead he creates a tall water spike right in between the path of the dragon. Then suddenly the sunlight reflects and refracts of the spike as if it is an ice spike. Having no time to analyze the defensive Jutsu the observers just witness the most brutal clash; the dragon clashes against the spike like waves clashing against an unyielding cliff splitting and falling apart.

Rasengan!

While the water vapor is still in air the ice spike crumbles under the destructive power of the Rasengan. Three yellow lines close in on Hero attempting to start another melee battle but then suddenly a yellow line disappears in a blink of an eye.

"Could it be?" Kakashi says.

"Hero is truly special. He learns any Jutsu in an instant if he reads about them just once or is taught them just once and he doesn't need the Sharingan to do it at all. Also he tops it off with not only having mastery over all four elements but also being capable of even using elemental bloodline Jutsu, I'd never imagine the scale of power and potential he has." Kakashi continues.

"Kakashi-sensei, did Ro-chan just use the Hirashin no Jutsu?" Sakura asks.

"Yes, blink and you'll miss it. Now how will Naruto counter it, I wonder."

In an instant Naruto becomes an army ten thousand strong in tight battle formation. His most famous move and first Jutsu, yet, his army is being eradicated one by one by the flying thunder god. None can catch the red flash as it pops out and disappears again right afterwards. Naruto tries many defensive Jutsu, but none seem to be able to stop the onslaught. Then when he's down to ten clones he tries his most powerful defense Jutsu.

Fuuton Rasengan!

But even then Hero is capable of entering the eye of the dragon and hit him at his weakest point. Escaping his defeat in the last moment Naruto jumps into the tornado and flies out a few miles away.

He summons three more clones. One bites into this thumb and starts the hand-seals for a summoning Jutsu but lengthens it with an extra few seals.

Sealing Jutsu, Area Seal Summoning!

The black seals extend out from Naruto's palm on the ground in a radial way. Hero still far way disappears and appears again, but this time he pops out just outside the black seals. Naruto, he must have realized that the flying thunder god must be a dimensional Jutsu after he saw Hero even entering the eye of the dragon from within his active Jutsu and countered it with a sealing Jutsu, preventing any summoning or dimensional travel within his area.

The earth suddenly cracks and this cracks travels all the way to Naruto and Hero. Tsunade wishes to end their practice. Both of them stop and head to the observers. Hero turns back to his true Chibi fox form and takes a ride on Naruto's shoulder.

"Good job, both of you. Naruto you do have a good knack at inventing your own Jutsu. I have never seen such a seal." Tsunade comments while at the same time treating their injuries.

"Thanks, Tsunade-baachan. It just popped into my head. When I saw Hero appear inside my eye without digging a hole, I knew it could only be a summoning type Jutsu. So I combined a large scale area summoning with the counter Jutsu Sandaime used against the Kuchiyose no Jutsu Endotensai and hoped it would get the right results. Guess it was a lucky hit."

"Geez, do you even think about the consequences if that kind of Jutsu did not work? It would have opened some kind of dimensional gate or ripped apart the dimensions or anything in that scale." Sakura lecturs Naruto.

"Well, luck is part of battle, too. Sakura, you shouldn't giving Naruto that much of a hard time." Kakashi comments

Suddenly fan-girl shrieks are heard from their back. Their class, jobs, work must have just ended now and they are looking for Hero to play with. Sakura looks and examines Hero. He's exhausted, he tries opening his eyes and give attention to his fans, but this practice has taken its toll.

"Hero is in no condition to play right now." Sakura tells the fan-girls, but some jealous extremists won't believe a word, accusing Sakura of wanting to hog Hero just all for herself. Shaking her head she brings Hero to them in her arms to let them see for themselves that he is in no condition to play or be petted. All suddenly they feel sorry and want to care for Hero. They start an internal fight with each other over who is to get take care of Hero. Sakura just keeps Hero in her arms and turns her back to the fan-girls.

Naruto tries standing up, but he falls back to the ground, his body won't listen to him. "You, too, should rest up in bed, Naruto." Sakura says as she comes back.

"No, can't do, not today Sakura, not yet at least. Please help me up, Sakura-chan." Naruto says in a determined and very stubborn way.

"What could be so important that you'd risk your health…" Sakura begins, but then seeing Naruto's sad, sorrowful face she immediately remembers. Today three years ago, Sasuke died at the hands of his brother Itachi. Every year on this day, Naruto goes to visit Konoha's graveyard and nothing is going to stop him from doing that, not even Sakura would dare to stop him from visiting the graveyard. Closing her eyes Sakura holds out her hand and Naruto grasps it. On one side leaning against Sakura on the other using his quarterstaff as a walking stick Naruto limbs towards the graveyard. Tsunade and Kakashi head back, too, leaving the fighting fan-girls to the training ground to battle out their little mud fight.

The bright yellow sun has an orange tint as they arrive at the graveyard. They first stop at the hero's monument and mourn for the lost of many close friends like Jiraiya-sama that fell in the current war as well as in the past wars. Then they go further to the Uchiha shrine, there they ignite some incense. Inside the shrine are Sasuke's name plate and his picture along with all the other Uchiha that had died at the hands of their own prodigy Uchiha Itachi. For the longest time Naruto and Sakura just stood their, then Naruto started sniffing before tears just gush out. He lets all his emotion go, crying out loud and Sakura, too, joins him holding each other for support with Hero in their middle they continue crying out their sorrow like a waterfall. It is unspeakable, indescribable how much sorrow Sasuke death pushed upon them; they continue to feel the pain of his loss.

Then within all their sorrow and tears both feel their cheeks being licked. A rough tongue licks away their tear. Not only that a tails tickles their chin and this irresistible feel of joy suddenly overwhelms both, they cannot but bring out a laugh. They look down at Hero, who's wiggling his fox tail and looking at them with puppy eyes. Both smiled kissing Hero on each sides of his cheeks they finally bowed down in front of Sasuke's gave before leaving.

"Why don't we face the cause of all this tomorrow?" Hero then suddenly says on their back home.

"Face Itachi?" Naruto says.

"In the month he's been imprisoned, he has not said a single word, even with Ibiki torturing him. Do you think he would talk to us?" Sakura says.

"You never know until you try and isn't it better to face the answer instead of running away?" Hero says in his childish innocent voice.

"Yes, let's meet him tomorrow." Naruto says. "I want to know the reasons why he did what he did."

If it hasn't been for Hero's rhythmic breathing, the night would probably been a horrible night to fall asleep in. But when Sakura & Naruto wake up the next morning, they are fit and fresh ready to face that emotionless killer called Uchiha Itachi. Greeting the ANBU guards at the cell Naruto says,

"Let me and Sakura pass. We are going to visit the prisoner."

"Eh… sir, without a permit …" one ANBU starts

"Let them pass, you idiot." The other one interrupts

"Lock the door up after we went inside," Sakura says and the door locks in after the two entered the room.

Hearing the door open and close a crucified Itachi opens his onyx black, ice cold eyes. Even in his current position his eyes are cold and judging. His body shows the marks of torture all over its place and the wounds are not healing well. He has also been starved, it is a gruesome view.

"Sakura-chan, how bad is his condition?" Naruto asks.

"If he doesn't get medical attention soon, his infections could become deadly," she answers.

"W…what, are you going to show pity to an enemy, Naruto?" Itachi spots him.

"Less pity and more along the lines of that I am treating you as a human being, a being in need of medical attention," Naruto answers.

Laughing, coughing up blood Itachi says, "Treat me like a human, stop kidding me."

"Naruto he needs to lie down on the ground for me to treat him properly, but if we untie him…"

"Yes, if you untie me now I still have enough chakra left to put both of you into a Genjutsu, and this time you won't be able to counter it."

"Leave it to me, I'll deal with his chakra right now, then you can treat him afterwards." A sharp wind and a ball of chakra emerge in Naruto's right hand.

"If you hit him with your Fuuton Rasenshuriken, he's going to die, Naruto."

"Do it!"

"You won't have the pleasure of dying so quickly Itachi," and Naruto presses his Jutsu into Itachi's chest. He screams in pain and agony as all his chakra circulations are being cut and severed while nothing else is hurt. Quickly removing the ropes that tie Itachi to the crucifix Naruto lays him on the ground and Sakura immediately starts healing him. It takes quite some time before Itachi wakes up again, but when he does, his facial expression has not changed one bit. No sign of gratitude, Naruto ties his hand to the pole before looking at him again.

"So, what does the Jinjurikii of the Nine-tail demon fox what from his prisoner?"

"Why did you kill all of your family members and tortured your brother."

"I'll show you, look into my eyes."

But they won't change into the Sharingan. They are staying onyx black, without any chakra to control even the mighty Itachi cannot activate his bloodline.

"Won't activate, will it? Sorry Itachi-san, but Naruto's Jutsu is special. No one that survives this Jutsu will ever be able to use any Ninjutsu for the rest of their life and that includes you Itachi-san," Sakura says in a very doctor-like voice.

"Well to make it simple, I wanted to test my capacity. How far could I go, how powerful was I, the prodigy of the Uchiha, the most powerful shinobi alive. I wanted to test that power and what better test subject then the very clan that had the same potential and power as mine? As for my brother, he always had eyes, which could potentially surpass mine, so in order to spur him on I had him live through the massacre."

"That's it? That is your reason? Just to test your power? To spur on Sasuke's development you had him live through a living hell? How cruel and twisted can human being get? How fanatic and crazy must you become to even think of such deeds?" Sakura yelled at him.

"Human being? Do you really believe that is what I am? I am a shinobi, a tool and the best there is, or there was. Now that name is passed on to Naruto-kun, he who defeated me. Do you know what it means to be on top, to have strength? At first you just do as you are told to, strive for the top but once you reach it, you become arrogant with strength and feared. They call you monster at that point, since you have so much power no one comes even close to understanding you. No one understands you at that point, when you do a favor to them they cheer for you, but you can see in their eyes they do not cheer you because they love you, no it is with fear they cheer you. They try to appease you with their cheer that is how it is at the top. The best become a wall, a road block to the others and if they cannot climb pass the wall, then they do not deserve to be with the best."

"You are right, Itachi-san. I do not know what it is like to be at the top, for I haven't reached it yet, nor will I ever probably reach it. But I have been on the other side. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be dead last? To be laughed at, spitted at, hated, judged just because you are not at the norm? It's lonely isn't it. It is just about the same feeling of pain on either ends of the spectrum, a lonely existence that tries finding meaning to life."

Silence

None are speaking. Naruto words hit it on the nail.

"Naruto-san, Sakura-san, the Hokage-sama needs to see you, it is urgent," a messenger says through the door.

"You are going to be kept alive, Itachi-san, to pay for your sin, you are being kept alive, also the elders and nobles probably also want to keep you alive so the Uchiha bloodline does not die out, since you are the last," Sakura says on their way out.

"Miss, you are wrong. I am not the last one, there is one more, the ultimate one. You wanted to know the real reason, Naruto? Uchiha Madara was the one with the ultimate Sharingan, tempting power and goal…"

"Stop running away!" Naruto shouts at him, "Stop running away from the deeds you have done and face them finally. Whether Madara tempted you or not, you are the one to decide on massacring your own clan and brother, so stop running away from that responsibility and face it. You are probably to cold to feel any remorse, but the least you can do is respect the dead and take up the guilt of their death and deal with it in a moral way, you coward."

With that they leave Itachi to his cell. In silent Itachi's vision start to blur and his nose feels watery.

Arriving at the Hokage's office as fast as they can, they hear the horrible news.

"Sunagakure is under direct attack. Akatsuki has gathered a force in the millions and now is besieging Sunagakure, at this very moment."


	8. Chapter 8 Hot Gates

**Amaterasu – Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal: Naruto & co. © Kishimoto

Author's Note: Well another "experimental" chapter. Another first person view, but you'll have to read to find out who's the narrator this time around. Also I will try hard to actually be descriptive with a battle this time around. Also just a side note, I won't be able to update this story as fast anymore, I have classes now and they take up quite a bit of time.

Not betaed

**Chapter 8  
Hot Gates**

I felt shocked; something heavy sank down my whole body. Then slowly coming to my senses my whole body felt boiling hot, an urge to cough.

Cough

Holding my left hand before my mouth I coughed. After coughing hard three times the urge stopped. I felt something warm and sticking in my left hand and as I held it out to look inside the palm I saw red, crimson blood.

Suddenly I heard another cough, higher pitched, smaller. Turning my head to my right I saw Sakura's left shoulder and the floor in front of her sprayed with blood. Hero, too, coughed up blood. A shadow loomed in front of us all the sudden. Tsunade had moved from her desk right in front of us, she held my left hand fiercely.

"Naruto, Hero, both of you still haven't recovered from the forbidden Jutsu you used during the training the other day. No active duty for either of you for another two days! This is an order, understood?"

"But … you can't expect me to just sit back while Sand is being invaded. I won't just sit back and let them attack Sand and Gaara just like that. And in two days they may have lost already."

Glaring into my eyes with such deadly intend Tsunade-baachan answered

"You'll be more of a hindrance then help in your current condition. Do you not see the danger of using forbidden Jutsu is just catching up with you; you can't go out into battle like this. And look it even affected Hero, which should tell you something of how dangerous the forbidden Jutsu you trained with are."

I couldn't believe it. I boiled with anger, couldn't believe that the training could stop me from helping a dear friend of mine.

"Shizune get Shikamaru here, we need to organize a counter offensive and reinforcement for Sand. We also need to figure out a way to get to Sand in a much faster fashion then traveling for three days."

I had already opened the door halfway when I looked back into Hero's eye, who was trailing behind me. When we heard that they would still need three days to travel to Sand, something that could mean the life and death of Sand, if Akatsuki was already at their door there was no way they could hold out for three days. The Stone village fell in less then two days, there would be no way that Sand could hold out much longer then that either.

Think

There had to be a quicker way to travel there and especially move large size of troops there. Looking into Ro-chan's eye I saw a glimmer of hope; he disappeared and reappeared on my right shoulder. Right, he had already mastered Hirashin no Jutsu.

Speaking out loud,

"Tsunade-baachan let us be support then!"

"What do you mean, Naruto?"

"Well since we aren't allowed into active duty; let us be support at least. We can transport all the troops faster into sand then they could possibly run. With Hirashin no Jutsu all we need is to have a messenger hawk reach Sand with a location seal. Then Hero can teleport all the troops right inside Sand. That would be faster then having them run all the way to Sand. Also I know a few barriers Jutsu that might come in handy, where protecting the medical station or changing the battlefield conditions."

Silence

She was considering the possibility.

"Shikamaru, what is your opinion? You will be in charge of the tactical movement of this operation, so what do you think?"

"How well can Naruto use any Jutsu right now, Sakura-san?"

"Let me examine him for a second."

And Sakura examined me and Hero with a medical earnest even if she was my girlfriend she would put my health as her top priority.

"Hero should have no problem performing Hirashin no Jutsu all day long, if that is all he does. Naruto should be able to do a few large scale barriers and even is able to make maybe three Kagebunshin, but no offensive Jutsu."

"Hmm, they could come in handy; I would take them with me given the permission," Shikamaru said. I could feel the joy in me rise.

"Fine, both can go into support, but you better keep your word Naruto, no active battling for you or Hero."

"Don't worry; I never go back on my word, Tsunade-baachan. That is my Nindo." I answered.

"Shizune prepare a few messenger Hawks and include the location seals inside them. Meanwhile, Shikamaru assemble twenty four-man-cells."

"Yes, ma'am"

"Dismissed"

I headed back into my apartment, while Sakura headed to her medical office to get her preparations ready. I packed all the sealing and barrier scrolls Ero-senin had left behind with me. I even summoned the scroll frog.

"Hey Naruto what do you need me out for?"

"Well I need to retrieve a few scrolls and Jutsu. And I need you to hold a few of them in for me."

"What you need?" as he opened his scroll.

"Barrier Jutsu, Sealing Jutsu, battle condition changing Jutsu"

"There you go"

A few minutes later we were standing at the meeting spot. Shikamaru briefed us once again on the situations. Honestly all we knew was that Akatsuki was invading Sand from the "Hot Gates". Which should demonstrate that either Akatsuki was not smart or so over confident they think they could take those gates with minimal losses.

The waiting was deadly too all of us. We could only wait for the Hawk to reach Sand in time. Usually taking half a day to travel was the fastest a Hawk required, but waiting half a day now seemed like an eternity. No one dared cracking a joke, it didn't feel right; they all were veterans by now. All of the eighty shinobi and kunoichi were veterans at facing Akatsuki. Everyone knew the danger they were facing.

"Hey does anyone remember when Naruto faced off Deidara at the Great Naruto Bridge?"

Ino's voice echoed through the whole squad.

"Yeah sure, I do."

They chatted of stories in the past of victories and other stories, their spirit lifted from the dreadful mission. Ino had a way with words, she could find the right story to tell, the right words and everyone would heed her attention.

While everyone's attention was focused on Ino, only Shikamaru and I noticed that Hero disappeared, no teleported. Looking at each others we decided to wait for Hero to return before announcing that we'd be teleporting soon. The second passed then Hero reappeared.

"Attention" I shouted.

Everyone went back into their ranks.

"Hero successfully teleported into Sand, now everyone hold each others hand. We will all teleport at once." Shikamaru said.

Holding hands, I grabbed hold of Sakura's right hand and Lee's left hand. Hero sat ontop of my right shoulder. In front of me stood Shikamaru facing me. All eighty ninja were holding each others hand. Shikamaru nicked his head once he verified that all were holding hands. A sudden surge of force emitting from Hero ran through my body and extending out through my hands to Sakura and Lee. Then without warning my view blurred and smugged, light moved by so fast that it stretched into lines. As fast as this feeling emerged it had ended. We arrived in Sand and far in front of us we saw a building collapse, the war must have reached the city already.

Sakura and her fifteen other medical ninja quickly build a medical station. Shikamaru met up with Baki trying to figure out the current situation.

"Baki-san what is the situation?"

"Shikamaru, Naruto, I am glad you arrived so quickly. I was shocked to only find a seal with the messenger hawk, not even a notice. When the fox arrived with the letter of reinforcement we understood and told him which buildings were still safe to teleport to. I never imagined Konoha had such a useful Jutsu."

"Thanks for the compliment, but more importantly what is your current situation?"

"Right, a single Akatsuki member broke through the Hot Gates and now is holding it by himself, while his troops are rushing through them. His troops have taken up about thirty percent of the city already. There is another Akatsuki member, with angel like wings, who's currently engaged in an aerial battle with the Kazekage. The other two siblings are holding two important check points. Kankuro with his puppet is helping the medical facility, while Temari-san is holding the weapon supply with her squad."

"Right, Sai-kun and Naruto, I need you to fly around and use these kunai to mark the check points and position you deem safe or important."

Sai drew two birds and the two of us jumped on top. Each flying in opposite directions we covered the area quickly, marking battles and hold ups with Kunai. Kankuro wasn't doing so well, even with his puppets Akatsuki had summons all over the places that would attack. The strange thing was that these summons looked nothing like any ordinary animal summons. They looked more like demons from another world or story; nothing resembled your typical animals from the animal kingdom. Minotaur, Chimera, Cerberus, Hydra all these weird monsters were fighting Sand Shinobi.

I arrived back in the base and found Sai already back.

"Naruto, I heard you developed an anti-summoning Jutsu. I'll need you to create scrolls with that Jutsu as quickly as you can."

"Right, can't have me directly engage combat."

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu

The four of me pulled out scrolls and started inscribing them with the sealing Jutsu. Meanwhile Hero was teleporting the rest of the reinforcement to the marked check points or retrieving injured Sand Shinobi into Sakura's Health Care. He even brought back most of the injured Shinobi stationed in the Sand Hospital.

Quickly the tides of battle changed. Shikamaru was able to stop their advance within an hour of arrival. Now four hours later we finally started to push back the enemies back into the hot gates. Shikamaru had ordered no one approaching the Akatsuki member that was holding the gates. Too many losses occurred already when Sand tried taking back the gates.

The sun was slowly setting down and even the aerial combat between Gaara, Sai and Konan was slowly dying down, she retreated back out, pass the hot gates. Neither Gaara nor Sai chased her.

"Gaara, glad to see you alive"

"Naruto, once again we are in your debt."

"Nah, don't make a fuss about it."

"How's the casualty list, Sakura-san?" Shikamaru asked when Sakura finally came out of the new medical post.

"Thanks to Hero's intervention, we were able to save about two hundred Sand lives. It may take longer for them to recover, but none are in critical anymore. Konoha hasn't lost anyone yet, Hero's been doing a great job bring them in and out of battle just at the nick of time."

"Neji, what's the situation with the summons?"

"They were all dispelled thanks to Naruto's seal. The only ones that are still present are the ones at the Hot Gates."

"Hmm, so now we only have to worry about the Hot Gates, for tonight at least. If we could take it back by the morning it would be a great success. Baki-san, do you have any info on the Akatsuki member that is holding the Hot Gates?"

"The 10 teams we send in to try retaking the gates were all annihilated. None survived, I am sorry. Other information besides him being able to summon we do not have."

"Hmm, he must have an unreal amount of chakra if he was able to summon this many summons and still has a few at the hot gates. Naruto what other seals or barriers do you have with you?"

"Well, I do have the one Orochimaru used against Sandaime-Hokage. Where he isolated him into a solo fight; then there is the Jutsu denial seal and the anti-summon seal."

"Wait; did you say Jutsu denial seal?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, it will denial you to use any type of Chakra based Jutsu. You'll only be able to fight with hand to hand or weapon type attacks."

"Where did you get such a handy Jutsu?" Sakura asked.

"I didn't, Ero-senin did. But it didn't really help him, since he's a Ninjutsu based shinobi, just like most of us."

"But I am not" Lee said proudly.

"True, Team Gai is the best at Taijutsu and not relying on chakra based attack." Shikamaru says out loud.

"Neji, Tenten, think you can deal with not relying on chakra based attacks?"

"It will be difficult, but we'll manage."

"Anyone else knows how to cast the barrier Jutsu?

…

No? Damn, Naruto you'll be in charge of building the barrier and the two seal Jutsu."

"Wait, Shikamaru; are you saying you are putting Naruto directly into combat?" Sakura asked.

"No, I am having him maintain the barrier and seals. No one in these eighty shinobi has the knowledge and capacity right now to build those barriers. Besides I need the rest of you to keep an eye out of the other Akatsuki member."

Hero howled in disagreement.

"Ah, Hero, yes I know you can do those seals just as well, but I need you to teleport the battle teams in and out of the barrier. Now the battle team will consist of Lee, Neji, Tenten, Choji, and Kiba. Kiba and Akamaru will be setting up the final trap, Tenten, Lee, Neji wear him down, and Choji protect the team until Naruto has all the seals up and running. Any further questions?"

"How do you think Naruto will be able to get behind the Akatsuki member and into position?" Sakura questioned.

"Well, even though these are the Hot Gates, he's holding the wrong end of them. All the advantages are on our side, I had plenty of time to examine the blue prints of the protective wall that build the hot gates. There were quite a few secret passages that lead outside, but usually invisible to the naked eye. Naruto take this copy and have your Kagebunshin move outside into position. Hero will teleport you right in front of the Akatsuki member. Gaara-san I will have to ask you to create a diversion up front before Naruto can get into position; you will also have the job of pushing him into the Hot Gates. Temari, Kankuro please support your brother in this task.

Mission Leonidas starts as soon as Naruto's Kagebunshin are in place. Dismissed"

"Naruto let me examine you one last time, please." Sakura said in a worried voice.

There wasn't anything I could say to her that would make her more confident or comfortable, so I let her examine me one last time. She wasn't examining me in her usual medical precise way; it was more like she wanted to hold me tight one last time. I returned her feeling by hugging her then suddenly the Kagebunshin signaled me that they were in position. I grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her away. Her eyes were with concern but I gave her a big smile.

"Shikamaru, we are set"

"Mission Leonidas, start!"

Gaara and his siblings left on foot and not soon after clashes of sand could be seen. Summons were clashing against waves of sand, puppets and blades of wind. Even as far away as half the village away we could hear the explosions as loud as air planes flying by. We could see splashes of sand and I wanted to help already, but Shikamaru was still holding us back, we had to make this battle count if there was a single mistake, the barrier could break and the Akatsuki could escape.

Then the signal was send over radio.

Ephialtes

Hero teleported me to the Hot Gates and I began immediately to form my hand-seals. Once cast it imprisoned both the battling Akatsuki member as well as the siblings. They were injured, Temari was hit most severe. Hero teleported Kankuro, who was protecting his sister, and Temari-san out; now Gaara was fighting alone against five summons and the leader, Pain. It was amazing, neither gave the other ground, with his sand shield Gaara could take all the deadly hits and with his sand spikes he pierced the most deadly of summons. Sometimes Gaara even used the barrier to his advantage and threw the summons against the destructive wall.

Suddenly Hero appeared, dropping off Team 300 (Lee, Neji, Tenten, Choji, Kiba) picking up Gaara he disappeared. Finally it had begun; I started my hand-seal to cancel out the remaining summons. In the time it took me to finish the seal, they were pushed around and if it wasn't for Choji's multi-size Jutsu they'd probably would have taken a few heavy hits. But even Choji could not hold against this many summons. The Cerberus turned into a nine headed Hydra. It now charged at the group splitting itself up into nine separate bodies ready to tear apart all of them. Choji managed to hit two of them but a third one was about to tear away his head when my seal took effect. In the last second with flesh wounds to Choji's neck all the summons disappeared.

Now it was only a battle between shinobi. Lee, Neji, Tenten charged ahead, while Choji was bandaging his wounded neck. Kiba was nowhere to be seen. He must have already started working on the traps. I started on my Jutsu canceling seal. Even without his summons, Pain was a dangerous enemy. Not only did he match the trio's speed, his Jutsu were powerful and if Choji didn't throw a few boulders into their general directions, the big elemental Jutsu probably would have hit team Gai very hard. Pain decided to even the numbers with two Kagebunshin and suddenly team Gai was being pushed back. Handling a Kagebunshin was too difficult for even team Gai on a one on one basis. Cornered and surrounded they were faced with certain doom as three big Jutsu were about to hit them from all directions. Just in the nick of time my last seal went into effect, canceling not only the three powerful Jutsu, but also Pain's Kagebunshin.

Lee took the initative with the sudden change of the combat situation. He engaged Pain in a melee duel, but Pain escaped always in the last moment of any critical strike. Neji still had to adjust to not being able to use his Byakugan and Tenten was left only with her chain weapon and shuriken. She started to support Lee from afar now throwing Kunai and Shuriken at times when Pain went into the offense.

Finally Neji joined the battle and both Lee and Neji started hammering down on Pain with fists and kicks, but none could hit or reach him. He always managed to escape tight spots or evade or parry hits. Suddenly I saw both Lee and Neji fly. Pain had kicked them away and now was charging at Tenten. A deadly punch was blocked in the last minute. Choji had finish bandaging his cut neck. But even with his great strength Choji was no match against Pain.

Pain was just too good; it seemed nothing worked on him. Even with restricting him to only Taijutsu he still outclassed us. He kicked Choji away, too.

Dynamic Entry

He blocked Lee's attack with his left elbow, but Lee would not give in so easily. He continued attacking. I observed Pain's defense pattern, his upper defense was flawless, and he parried every single blow directed at him. Then Neji stepped in, trying to aid Lee in battle once again as a duo. Even though their battle styles were so different they must have practiced to synchronize each others style. It was an unbelievable battle, so fast and flawless I cannot believe that Pain could parry or dodge each and every hit.

Then I noticed something the few times Neji or Lee tried sweeping his feet, he jumped up. If I remembered correctly usually this was a bad idea. Gai taught us to step back, not jump up to avoid a sweep. A jump seemed more natural, but a step back would allow us to follow up after such a sweep. I waited a few more times and I saw it again and again. Though Pain was first class in everything, he reacted to the attack pattern on instinct, he had not undergone through hard Taijutsu training. His footwork was his weak point.

"Lee, Neji, EARTH is his weakness!" I shouted out at them.

Neither showed signs of acknowledging my tip. Pain dashed back and even laughed at my comment.

"Earth?! Earth is my weakness? Don't be ridicules, heavenly punishment is all that awaits people like you."

"Shall we try it? Neji-kun?" Lee asks.

"After you, Lee" Neji replied.

Lee attacked. It looked the same as before in the beginning, but then I noticed a subtle change. Lee was dominating the pace. Pain was reacting to Lee's attack and he had far more difficulty parrying all his attack. I guessed right. Lee now was focusing on his foot work and let his body instinctively follow up with the punches. Though Pain was naturally gifted in everything, he did not have the years of hardship that Lee had put into his Taijutsu. While I was training with them, Gai had made it part of our daily routine to walk on poles or round and round on top of the edge of big pots. It not only trained our balance but also branded us on how to place our feet in specific ways. Lee was walking circles around Pain now and he wouldn't let him dash into safety. The few time Pain did try to dash, he found himself flying backwards.

As Pain stood up, Lee grabbed his shoulder and landed behind him. They were now back to back, Pain couldn't turn around, Lee knew how to step and shift his weight to not let him simply turn around. Neji too joined, now with Lee pinning his movement, Neji finally landed hits against Pain's pressure points. Even without his Byakugan Neji had memorized the pressure points he needed to hit and a deadly combo hit followed up.

Hundred and twenty eight pressure points were hit, before Pain could turn around to face Neji. Lee then followed up with another sixty hit combo before sending him high into the sky. In mid air, Tenten hit him with all her remaining kunai before Kiba and Akamaru caught Pain and drilled him into one of the barrier walls. He fell far down onto the ground, before exploding notes send him once again into the air. When he finally fell back down to earth a big hole was waiting for him. Inside were blood larvas waiting greedily for their meal.

Screams of pain and agony could be heard, when it was finally silent, team 300 looked into the pit to verify their kill. Choji rolled a giant boulder over the pit and they marked the position of their kill.

I released all the Jutsu and then Shikamaru and the rest teleported in.

"Good job everyone."

The sun was rising and we looked out into what was once the desert that protected the Sand Village. What we saw was shocking, outside stood an army so vast it stretched from horizon to horizon.


	9. Chapter 9 Crimson Savior

**Amaterasu – Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal: Naruto & co © Kishimoto

Author's Note: Well I promised Heishi I'd write a chapter this weekend … and I've be procrastinating the work until the last day. Crap … Right I am going back to the third person narration. To be honest I have not thought very far from this point onward in the story. Trying to create some kind of artificial conflict between the Naruto x Sakura pairing now feels tiresome and little quarrels feels too soap opera-like (and I hate soap opera). Another things … I learned that writing from the main characters point of view is a bad thing, at least for me. I don't want to reveal his thoughts. If anything I want the reader to be guessing his, try to figure it out from what the other characters say or give away. The only time the reader should get something out of the character is when he says things out loud. Guess that's something I adopted from reading all the Sherlock Holmes novels. Watson did such an awesome job at keeping the reader guessing. Alright I think I ranted off enough that I can start writing the main story now…. Hopefully

As usual not betaed

**Chapter 9  
Crimson Saviors**

"I need him off the teleport seal and onto this stretcher, now!" Sakura yelled at her nurse-assistance.

"ON Three! Steady … Steady ! One, Two, Three! Lift!"

"Someone pressurize his wound. He's losing too much blood!" Ino yells further instructions.

"Quickly move him to Section C3 the operating set there are cleaned and ready!" Shizune yells.

Metal and plastic grinding on solid stone floors, small wheels rolling quickly through hallways; the wounded sand ninja is moved from the teleport seal to C3.

"Sakura, the blood won't stop gushing out!" Ino yells as she continues pressuring the large wound in the ninja's torso.

"That's a poison! It's eating away the body at a cellular level!" Shizune replies.

"I don't have the time to create a counter poison right now. We need to seal the poison where it is!" Sakura yells.

"Ready a poison seal and hot water!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Quickly begin with the sealing."

Silence; the medics place the seal in a professional way, practice over a thousand times onto their patient. Sakura begins sealing and isolating the poison, mean while Shizune and Ino return to the teleport room and await the next injured shinobi.

"Damn … it!" huffing, puffing Sakura barely brings out her cuss. She's sweating, her hands are shivering and her eyelids barely half open. Everyone in the room knows how exhausted Sakura is, but none dare say anything to the top medic-nin.

"No choice, one more pill." Sakura swallows a soldier pill. Revitalized, she finishes sealing the poison and closing the fatal wounds.

"The rest you guys can finish, right?" she says more like a command than a question before standing up and heading wobbling towards the teleporting room.

"Shouldn't we tell her to take a rest?" one of the nurses whispers to another nurse, "don't be silly, we only be punched in the face and splatter all over the wall," the other replies, "did you forget what happened half a day before? One tried telling her to take a rest and the next second the wall behind her was pulverized. That was when she only had two solider pills in her. Who knows what'll happen with an overdoes of three soldier pills."

Sakura struggles to even walk straight. Leaning against the wall she slowly moves, then finally as she turns around the corner she can see the teleport seal just a few feet away. Shizune and Ino already standing ready with two nurse teams awaiting the next patient.

A flash of yellow, orange appear and Hero drops off Naruto who's supporting Choji. Quickly the ready team takes over and places the heavily injured Choji with blood wounds and internal wounds on the stretcher.

Thump

"Sakura-chan?! … Sakura-chan! Oi! Get a hold of yourself …" the voices distance from Sakura's apprehension. Blazing darkness swallows her.

Erratically emerald green eyes open trying to focus on their surrounding. A few blinks later Sakura rises from her bed moaning as her body screams out in pain to the sudden movement. Wires rip as she continues moving and monitors which were showing consistent graphs start peeping.

"Sakura, thank goodness you are awake and well." Ino says coming in through the door. "Naruto, Shizune-neesan Sakura is awake!" she shouts into the hallway.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto says before hugging her.

After a moment of silence

"How's Choji?" Sakura asks after she recollects the last thing that happened.

While she waits for an answer Naruto looks down and Ino turns away.

"What happened to Choji?" Sakura asks again now with a worrying voice.

"We lost him." Naruto answers.

"What? ... How?" Sakura says in an "you surely are joking me" voice.

"It was either you or Choji." Shizune says while entering.

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't attend to both Choji or you. Ino did the best she could while looking over Choji and I was dealing with your drug overdoes. I didn't had enough chakra to use a Kagebunshin to also help Choji."

"What do you mean you had to watch over me …"

"That third pill would have killed you, had I not done something and Choji's internal wounds were beyond Ino's capabilities. The other medics were also busy dealing with the poison sand-nin as well as attending to other things. There was no one besides you and me who could have dealt with Choji's internal wounds and since you were in your death bed we had to make a choice." Shizune explains the situation.

"Choji was still conscious when he told Shizune to take care of you, Sakura," Naruto says while also giving Ino a shoulder to lean on.

"By the time Ino finished repairing all the internal damage Choji was gone already." Naruto finishes. "But at least we didn't loose you."

"How can you say that!" Sakura screams at him, her face distorted and filled with grief and guilt.

"How could anyone say that they are glad that I am alive while losing Choji at the cost of it," Sakura says.

"Shizune-neesan we need to head back to the teleport seal, their might be more wounded." Ino says in a soft voice.

"Ino … I …" Sakura tries saying but stops as Ino just gives her a warm smile as she heads out.

"Shizune-neesan, let me help, too," Sakura says determined.

"You aren't in any position to aid us. You chakra system is burned out, you won't be able to channel any for at least a whole week with the condition you are in right now."

"But I still am able to do basics first aid even without chakra," Sakura protested.

"Fine with me," Shizune says while heading out.

As Sakura tries getting out of the bed, her wobbling legs can't support her weight and she falls onto her kneels, but a strong arm catches her just before she hits the ground. Naruto lifts her up and while leaning on his shoulder Sakura slowly steps out of her room.

The next nurse that passes them Sakura instructs,

"Get my room ready for the next patient. I won't need it any more."

"Eh … "

"Do as she says." Naruto reinforces Sakura's instruction.

"Yes, sir, ma'am"

At the teleport seal they arrive just in time to see Hero teleport Aoba-sempai in. While huffing and puffing Hero's is about to teleport back out, but Naruto stops him in the last moment.

"You need rest as well" Naruto says in a sincere voice, but Hero struggles and wants to resist his command. Naruto forcefully dispels Hero's summon and he puffs into smoke.

Meanwhile the nurses move Aoba onto stretchers and into the operating room. With him are Ino and Sakura. They quickly move Sakura securing and cleaning the wounds while Ino starts healing him. Sakura keeps pressing onto the fatal wound pressurizing it.

Blood squirts out and sprays Sakura's face full with blood. Not daring to stop pressuring that wound Sakura doesn't wipe off the blood from her face.

"Shizune-sama we need you with the next patient. He's got the blood eating poison."

Shizune leaves this operating room to Ino and Sakura. Ino continues struggling closing the big wounds.

Finally after a long operation Ino looks up with a smiling face.

"We did it, we saved him," Ino says.

"No, you did it, Ino. I couldn't do anything except give you some advice and keep to the basics of medical aid. I couldn't help you on operating Aoba-sempai, nor was I able to aid you when you needed it the most. I couldn't aid you when you were trying to save Choji… I am useless …" Sakura says while they walk through the hallway towards the teleport seal.

Her vision suddenly is forced right while at the same time her cheek and jaw blaze in pain and her ears recognize a single enormously loud slapping sound. When she finally turns around she sees Ino holding her right hand and quietly trying to hold back her tears.

"Don't … don't ever tarnish Choji's sacrifice with such words like useless and guilt!" Ino yells at her. "He knew full well his chances of survival were slim and while I was operating on him he asking if he did a great job at protecting his friends. Do you know what was worst? Shikamaru couldn't come, the war at the Hot Gates kept him busy. He couldn't come and still hasn't come to see Choji's dead body. That damn war is keeping him right where he is, at the walls strategizing and instructing the troops how to act and fight so that they can't storm this village. Do you realize the only person witnessing Choji's death was me and Naruto. When I finally closing those wounds of his, the monitor was just a single long beep; I had not realized that he lost so much blood. Naruto … he said something cool at the last moment … 'A true Konoha shinobi until the end. He was a large flame, requiring a lot of nutrition, protecting the smaller flames' … Don't tarnish those moments, those memories, those sacrifices, ever Sakura. I forgave you for the mistakes you did, that you pushed yourself beyond your limit to save others, but don't ever say you are useless. Just now, if you had not told me which organs to close first and kept an eye at the blood level I'd probably would have made the same mistake over again. You are just as good and useful without your chakra as you are with. You helped me just now a lot. So don't ever talk like that again."

Ino has recovered from her emotional storm and smiles warmly again, when suddenly the whole ground and build shakes from a huge earthquake. Protecting Ino from a falling ceiling Sakura pushes her against the wall.

When the dust finally lifts both of them are under a spacious long slap of ceiling. They have tried getting out on their own, but without her chakra control Sakura could not have lifted those huge boulders and so the two kunoichi are waiting for someone to rescue them out the rubbles.

When finally the boulders are lifted the rescuer find two girls hugging and leaning against each other.

"Brings back memories of past when the two were best friends, doesn't it Naruto," Shikamaru says look at the two kunoichi.

"Sure does. Anyways, Sakura, Ino wake up!" Naruto shouts and Sakura responds first.

"How long were we in the rubble?" Sakura asks as she looks into the night sky.

"A few hours for sure, it took us a while to find the two of you."

"What was that Jutsu that caused such a great earth quake?"

"Less a Jutsu and more like a strategy Shikamaru came up with," Naruto comments.

"What kind of strategy is that, that even collapses your own village's building?"

"That was an unseen factor. I had not thought that it would work so well that the tremor even reached as far as the village and collapse the hospital. But thank goodness no one in the hospital was injured any further," Shikamaru says.

"Care to fill me in on what kind of strategy would cause such a tremor?" Sakura asks curiously.

"Well with a few words we collapsed the ground underneath Akatsuki's camp. That's why I needed both Neji and Hinata with me. I had Neji coordinate the underground tunneling while Hinata was checking the battlefield to see if they noticed our secret attack on their huge water supply. Neji directed all the sand and earth users to build tunnels right underneath their camp. The rest of the battle was a distraction it took us the whole two days to build all the tunnels but when we finally released their water into the tunnel it completely flooded all the tunnels taking all their ground away from them. Three quarter of their whole army went under with this single attack," Shikamaru explains.

"Wait, did you say the front battle was a distraction? You mean to tell me that Choji died for a distraction?" Sakura says in an angry voice.

"Sakura …" Ino says while holding a hand onto her shoulder.

"But …" Sakura starts, but Ino is shaking her head. When Sakura looks back at Shikamaru and she can tell how much he's hurts, how much it pains him that Choji died.

"Shikamaru finished what he started … else Choji's death would have been … " Naruto says.

"… Meaningless …" Sakura says silently almost to herself.

"Let's all get some rest, it doesn't look like Akatsuki is going to be stupid enough to try and assault us with only a quarter of their force left," Ino says.

The next morning red clouds forecast something ominous. Shikamaru, Naruto, Ino and Sakura as well as the Sand Siblings reach the top of the wall just in time to witness something truly horrifying.

One should describe it as a ritual of demonic and abyssal proportion. There are six circular battle formations with a single man standing in the middle of each. Seals stretching in radial ways outwards, then through the seals the sand rises; drawing all the blood that was spilled yesterday upwards, forcing it to gush out of the dessert. The blood even engulfs the battle formations incorporating them into the ritual all while an angel flies circles over the battlefield crying paper tears. When the blood had risen to a colossal height it starts to solidify and taking shape, each shaping and turning to a unique monster with different tails to mark their demonic heritage. The last tailed beast to appear is the seventh tailed demon and on top of each stands an Akatsuki.

"Impossible, where did he hide that many members …" Shikamaru says.

"That would be Pain Rikoudou," a toad answers.

"Jiraiya-sama fought against the leader. He was his former apprentice from the third Shinobi war but got twisted up somewhere along the way when Jiraiya left him to fend for himself. He doesn't die even if you think he's dead, he's got some kind of revival Jutsu to bring back his dead bodies. The one you killed yesterday is probably also gone from the grave and now standing on one of those tailed demons. Also he poses the Rienngan, the bloodline to create and destroy the way of the ninja. Sorry boy that's all Jiraiya managed to get out of him," the toad finishes his report.

"Like that's going to stop me and my Nindo, right Hero," Naruto says as Hero appears on his shoulder.

"Naruto … don't go … I couldn't bear to loose you, too …" Sakura cries.

Naruto and Hero just return her cry with an innocent and warm smile before turning to Shikamaru saying,

"Me and Hero can probably take two, Gaara and his siblings should be able to handle one to two with back up. That'd be roughly four; do you think you can come up with a strategy to beat two biju?"

"Leave it to me!" Shikamaru answers.

One last smile and look back to Sakura before Naruto hops down the wall with Hero on his shoulder.

"No, don't go …" Sakura cries, while Ino is holding her in place.

Gaara and his siblings as well as Kakashi, Sai, Yamato follow Naruto's lead and head into battle.


	10. Chapter 10 As The Shadow of the Wind

**Amaterasu – Infernal Chronicles of Naruto**

Legal: Naruto & co © Kishimoto

Author's Note: Alright, I haven't continued this story in a very long time. Also I was very busy with college. Now I am finally in my spring breaks and have some time to write it. To be honest this is my second try at writing this chapter. Now at first I was not even going to write out the battles and skip them, but after reading some things and watching a fan made CGI-Action scene from Monty Oum I decided to actually write out each battle.

Scratch what I said above, it seems like I had planned releasing this chapters in the spring, but in the end it I didn't had any ideas how to write this chapter back then. I think I've got an idea now how to write this chapter.

As always this has not been betaed, yet. Enjoy with a grain of salt. If I get a betaed version, I shall update this chapter.

**Chapter 10**

**As Shadow of the Wind, my Duties and Responsibility**

Sand splashes. Blasts of chakra bundled energy melt the sand into charcoal black glass. And yet, the barrier the Kazekage has build up to protect himself as well as his fellow shinobi stands steadfast.

The beast known as four tailed demon monster is the Kazekage's enemy. It's mastery of the elements alone is astonishing, let alone that Pain of the Hungry Ghost Realm standing on top of it being its master.

Trying to use strong ninjutsu based attacks failed to reach the beast, since the Hungry-Ghost would devour the jutsu before it could harm the tailed beast while trying to attack using taijutsu against the beast proofs futile to begin with since none under the Kazekage's command has a mastery in taijutsu that is able to harm the beast, let alone reach its master on top of it.

The only option would have been to use genjutsu based attack, yet, once more did Gaara not have the men capable of using a jutsu on the scale of Tsukiyomi or the frog song. All that is left for Gaara to do currently is to hold out against the beasts continuous attack of elemental attacks.

While ducking under the current wave, a man shouts, "Kazekage-sama, the beast, it is spiting out magma. It is melting away the sand right under our feet."

The molten magma moves quickly to their current position when Gaara summons a large wave of sand, letting it crash against the lava like a title wave of water crashing against hot lava. The steam that is formed is not of water evaporating, but quartz and other minerals evaporating in seconds due to the heat the magma transferred to it.

The cloud of evaporating quartz and other sand elements clouds the vision for both parties but it doesn't completely stop the lava, it is only a momentary solution and Gaara let's another wave of sand clash against. With the sand covering the top of the lava soon Gaara notices that the magma is still continuing on, underneath its harden crust.

With their vision blocked and sure of their supremacy Pain waits for cloud to disperse before pushing on the attack. He wishes to make each of them to feel pain, a slow painful death, thus he waits.

Meanwhile Gaara tries creating a whirl of sand that continuously rotates melting sand with new fresh sand in an effort to halt the magma's advance. Shinobi under his command retreat and start building a new camp hoping for the Kazekage to be able to retreat and rest should his effort fail.

Gaara notices that as he continuously refresh the whirlwind with sand, that his whirlwind is picking up and allowing him to manipulate molten quartz, in a very limiting way, yet still he's able to manipulate it. He increases his output and doses of chakra as well as sand and soon the entire whirlwind is vacuuming the entire mass of magma into the sky.

To Gaara's surprise lifting the magma into the sky releases a tremendous amount of energy out of the magma. All of the magma halted and freezing into a solid glass like mixture, and the male storm of sand, too, dispersed the smoke of evaporating quartz.

Pain is furious, since his prey has escaped his wrath and escaped his judgment and surely painful punishment. The solid frozen glass male storm did bother Pain little, desperate as these mortals are they will grasp at any forms measure to try and fight a God. Pain orders once more the beast to assault them from a distance with his elemental attacks.

Without being able to take a breather Gaara sees the beast shooting a blast of slicing air at him, with his fellow shinobi as secondary targets. Gaara is still trying to recover from the heavy usage of chakra for the whirlwind he has used and is not ready to face another salvo. The air blade closes in faster and faster and Gaara can feel a vacuum in the air as the blasts continuous to shorten its distance with him.

And at the moment of impact, Gaara blinks for a second and his ears only hear the loudest of thunder right on impact. The thunder alone deafens the Kazekage, yet, to Gaara's surprise he feels no pain of impact, nor does his body ache of pain. It is like when the one tail beast Shukaku is still with him, protecting him of any harm, while constantly torturing his mind during the nights.

Then finally Gaara eye lids open from their blinking. However he does not find himself in darkness of his sand egg shell, nor does he feel the heavyweight of his sand armor on his shoulder. Neither defense mechanism are active, no to his surprise he finds a barrier of chakra stopping the immense power of the elemental attack.

The shinobi ins his command whom he bought time with his effort to halt the magma were able to use the time bought wisely and created a barrier position that is able to extend itself as far as the Kazekage stands for a short amount of time.

"Kazekage-sama are you alright?" One shinobi shouts from behind Gaara, and Gaara just nods in agreement.

A second salvo now already comes flying towards the barrier, this time of the fire element, strengthening the wind attack with its mixture.

"Kazekage-sama, please, you must retreat to our position, we cannot extend the barrier limitless," they shout.

Gaara quickly retreats to their established post. "Give me a soldier pill," Gaara orders his shinobi.

"But the after effects ..." one begins.

"Shall be discuss later," Gaara says in a tone that asserts his position as Kazekage.

"Yes, sir!" and a female shinobi hands over a soldier pill to Gaara.

Gaara quickly eats it, feeling the pills effect quickly replenishing his chakra.

"Kazekage-sama, what are you planning to do?" she continues to ask.

"There is something I'd like to try out, keep the barrier up," is all Gaara replies.

The feeling of being able to manipulate frozen quartz or sand is like that when Gaara uses high level shape manipulation, he targets the sand right underneath of the fire-wind assault, grasping it and lifting it up diagonally. The jet of fire and air now rises high up and away from Gaara as well as his shinobi.

"Kazekage-sama that is incredible!" one shouts. The female says, "Kazekage-sama maybe you can even return the jet-stream back at the source?"

"We shall see ..." Gaara has not thought of it, since he is too occupied trying to protect the group.

Pain seeing how these mortals continue to elude his judgment orders more fire power and wants the beast to also include lightning into the mix of element. The beast closes its mouth, whirls with its tail a little and then opens its mouth again and fires its lightning based attack.

The lightning finds an easy road to follow with the fire and wind paving its way, but since it follows exactly the same jet-stream like the fire and wind it too fires sky high passed the target due to the sloped glassed quartz diverting the jet-stream.

Then the stream slowly starts changing its course as more sand gather beneath it and in front of it. First it diverts horizontally towards the east until it is orthogonal to its previous target and then continuous to travel in an arc north and suddenly Pain finds the jet-stream of wind, fire and lightning directed at him and the beast.

The beast only seeing the flashing lightning in front of it, does not see out of its blind spot that it is shooting at itself. Pain orders it to stop firing, but the remaining power of its attack is still coming back at them and Pain open his arms readying to devour all of it.

The steam hits the beast and Pain in a thunder louder than the wind blade that should have hit Gaara. The enormous amount of energy quake through the ground even reaching as far as where Gaara and his shinobi stand.

In less than a minute the Hungry Ghost devoured all the blasts energy, and to all parties astonishing view they find all of them unharmed, but the landscape changed.

In front of Gaara and his sand shinobi find a glass structure similar to a huge snowboard or skateboard park, with the largest of arc directing its flow towards where Pain stands.

The time it took Pain to devour the blast the sand shinobi used to gather on top of the new glass structure and build a new forward post and barrier for them to fight from.

"Enough playtime! It is time for you mortals to feel pain. I, your god, shall deliver you into a world of pain before you leave into the river of souls!" Pain shouts.

The four tailed beast fires it signature element, magma at the sand shinobi.

Gaara closes his eye for a short moment gathering a huge amount of chakra into his body. The magma flows faster than the first wave, like a tsunami it crashes against the barrier, and it is quickly apparent, the shinobi do not have the chakra to uphold such a force. Soon first signs of the barrier collapsing are visible and yet Gaara still has his eyes closed.

"Kazekage-sama ..." a man shouts, "Silence!" the female who's been believing into her Kazekage-sama the whole time commands him.

And then, the barrier breaks.

The magma like a wave a hundred feet tall is imminently going to crash down onto the sand shinobi. They all blink while Gaara on the other hand opens his eye, lifting his hand high up.

The crashing wave stop suddenly, swirl in a male storm and rise into the sky. Gaara uses his new sand whirlwind attack once more and lifts all the magma around him into the sky. He feels more confident and comfortable with this whirlwind, having done it once, his manipulation is far better.

On Pain's face if Gaara could see his face through the sand male storm clearly shows his anger and hatred. Gaara however uses the opportunity he has gained with lifting up the magma to go onto the offensive. He moves forward his whirlwind while all of them stay in the protective eye.

Soon the magma that is supposed to hurt the sand shinobi is flying back at Pain's direction just like with the jet-steam. Pain stretches out his hand devouring chucks of molten magma as it flies out of the whirlwind.

He laughs at Gaara's attempt to hurt him with his own jutsu, when suddenly his left arm and shoulder is gone. Then his right leg is suddenly melted away. Soon his whole body disappears, being pierced.

Deva Pain is surprised as he loses his connection with his hungry ghost body.

Freed from its control the four beast only seeks destruction and Gaara has been its target for a while and as such it continues targeting them. It stops firing its magma and instead choses to build up a layer of earth armor and goes over into a melee styled attack instead, using its massive size to its advantage.

Gaara cannot keep up his whirlwind any longer, expending huge amount of chakra. The moment he drops his jutsu a giant claw lands right where they stood. Megumi pulls at her Kage's clothing throwing him out of harms way.

When Gaara manages to stand up again, only five shinobi stand with him. He finds a pool of splashed blood where Megumi had saved him from the crushing claws of the beast. Angered and saddened Gaara and his shinobi have to face the beast.

Sand splashes more often now, shinobi run and jump in the dunes, dodging the claws of a wild beast, Gaara without much chakra left, too, now has to move around a lot more.

In the years where Gaara had lost Shukaku he had tried to use his large chakra based attack, regaining his old style, but found it impossible to use, since it had entirely been based on the chakra regeneration of the tailed beast he had.

Thus he researched the past inhabitants of Shukaku and other with a similar style to his own and found out that two generation before him the third Kazekage had developed a style called Iron Sand based on what he had witness his friend the previous Shukaku owner had demonstrated.

Further research revealed how the Sandaime had been able to recover his chakra to use such heavy chakra dependent jutsu. It took Gaara a long time to develop a similar style to Sandaime's chakra regeneration jutsu and it requires Gaara to stand pretty much still.

Facing off against this beast without any chakra is insanity even the academy students knew that, Megumi had sacrificed herself for her Kazekage to save her village, yet, currently Gaara is unable to do such thing.

The decision and events lie heavy on Gaara. He has to recover his chakra to fight this battle and thus he stops evading and starts gathering his chakra.

His support see that as well as the beast. An easy target as Gaara, it thinks will not come more than in a thousand years and concentrates its effort to hurt him. The remaining five shinobi put an extra effort at stopping it in its track.

Soon a tail hits a shinobi sending it flying into a sand dune, crushing it on impact. Blood splatters and crushed intestine cover the sand. Gaara continue to concentrate on gathering his chakra and his shinobi try continue to hurting the beast with just from scale and power of a C or B rank.

It easily shrugs off these attacks and returns fire with a lightning blast. A shinobi, who just jumped into the air trying to avoid a tail, finds himself target of the lightning blast in midair. The blast runs right through his entire body evaporating each water molecule inside his body. Only a dry husk remains of him, falling to the ground.

Another shinobi just lands finding the beasts jaw right on top of it, closing in an instant. The beasts jaws and razor sharp teeth miss its target, yet blood drips through its teeth. The shinobi screams in pain some 60 feet away. He just wasn't fast enough, his right leg still was caught in its jaw.

The beasts wants to crush it injured victim, since Gaara's being protected so heavily, thus it lifts its left claw and swings down against the shinobi. Quickly the shinobi's vision darkens as the giant claws shadow spreads over his view.

Suddenly to the beast and injured shinobi's surprise the beasts claws stops right above him. A light structure made of sand in a from of a web hemisphere stretches over him. Gaara has finally gathered and replenished his chakra.

He lifts up the sand covered in red blood and manipulates it into web-like structures, both from Megumi, and the shinobi who have sacrificed themselves to protect him.

The beast tries hitting Gaara with its tail, yet the red-web-sand stops it dead in its track, such strength it has gained. Gaara quickly covers the tail with another layer of sand, making it difficult for the beast the draw it out of Gaara's clenches. It tries clawing or biting Gaara but still the web sand stops its efforts. Irritated it starts firing elemental based attacks. The sand changes form in an instant gathering into a solid hemisphere and then into a whirlwind.

Gaara returns the power and attacks of the beast tenfold with his whirlwind, and since the beast is still stuck at its tail it has no choice up to take up the beating. Stupid as it is, it fires even more powerful jutsu at Gaara's male-storm hoping to break it in its process. However it only hurts itself with it and Gaara starts mixing sand within his whirlwind, just like he did when fighting against the hungry ghost.

The sand masses melt into liquid quartz and even into steam like quartz within the energy inside the whirlwind, and as a mass Gaara unleashes it directed at the pinned down four tailed beast.

The mass of sand, neither ninjutsu based, but instead just a physical based attack with an enormous amount energy stored within it, impact upon the beast. Neither its size nor its armor withstand the energy build up in the whirlwind. It is cut in half with such ease it does not have even a moment to realize that it had been mortally wounded.

The jutsu that maintains the material form of the beast ends abruptly as the beast is defeated finally.

Gaara looks up and towards the other shinobi and then looks across the desert at the other fights against Pain. They, too, are successful in dealing fatal blows against the beast and the Pain bodies.

Finally at dawn the last of the beast is defeated and the shinobi of the Sand village and the Leaf village count their casualties. Many more shinobi died in the process of fighting both Pain and the beast, some bodies cannot be recovered, like Megumi's body, since it either was blasted into oblivion or crushed into a plumb. The desert has been shaped into a graveyard with marks of impact of many, many blasts and impacts craters that will not be covered or filled with the sand of the dunes. These deep craters will stay marking the battles themselves.

To sour their victory even further the Deva Realm Pain managed to escape their clutches. Knowing his power he surely would return to cause farm more death and destruction among the many people living not only in this country. He'd involve many more people in his madness.

But for now, the people of sand and leaf rejoice in their victory and seek to rest and rebuild the homes lost. They are going to mourn for the people lost and Naruto makes it his own personal quest to seek out Pain to make him take responsibility for his act of murder and terrorism.

For the pain and suffering his has brought to the many people Naruto and Hero start out on a journy in search of the remnant of the remaining "Rising Sun".

Author's Ending Notes:

Hmm, well somehow this feels not quiet finished, and I promise this isn't the end of this fan-fiction. Why have I waited so long for this chapter, you might ask? I had no plans nor did I have any inspiration on how to continue with this story. Neither did I ever plan on writing the face off between Pain, the beasts and the Kazekage or with Naruto. I think I also needed to wait for Kishimoto to show off a little bit more of Pain's power and scale of skill, since I had developed Naruto into much more of a beast than he currently is in the Naruto-verse. I still have no idea on how I shall develop the continuing story after this chapter, no do I know how I'll end it, but give me a little time and I might think of something rather satisfying.

Besides there is still Uchiha Madara out there for Naruto to hunt down. I need a little bit of time to think how to grow my villains into something really menacing and a fitting enemy for both the combined forth of Naruto and the Kyubi.


End file.
